After the storm
by Inuyasha22-sama
Summary: Takes place right where the movie ended. Morgana is gone and things are supposed to become easier now. But when is life ever easy? ;D NOW WITH AN EXTRA PORTION CHARACTER-DEATH :D
1. Chapter 1

It was over. Finally.

Morgana had been beaten. Not just defeated in some kind of exciting battle and released to better herself, but destroyed in her very existence. Even the colorful dust of her disintegrating body vanished with the wind and left no trace of the Morganian ex-leader.

Balthazar and Veronica were finally reunited. So were his apprentice, Dave Stutler, and Becky Barnes, the _girl_friend of said one. The two younger ones were just flying out of sight, riding on a steel eagle, brought to life originally by Balthazar himself, but now under new management by his apprentice. Since that one had turned out to be the prime Merlinean after all in this epic battle against Morgana – and her demise – the old sorcerer had decided to give the young one a little off-time. He'd earned his holidays, but so had his master, especially now, when he had his long lost love back in his arms, he was finally able to take a breather. One and a quarter millenium had passed since he could be with Veronica the last time, who looked up at him now, questioning, why he still stared in the direction Dave and Becky had flown off, obviously caught up in his own thoughts' spiderwebs.

"Balthazar?", she asked in a whispering tone, making his red line snap in general and him out of it. He looked in her eyes, gently letting go of her shoulders and gave her a half-crazed smile.  
"Let's go home..", he said and she nodded, even though she had no clue where 'home' would be. It hadn't come yet to her mind that her beloved one had lived through the time her soul had spent in suspense, locked up in the Grimhold, and that he obviously must assimilated quite well into this, for her, strange new world. As they stood up, she started a bit, as he winced with a barely audible gasp.  
"Are you hurt, my love?", she asked the obvious thing, but he shook his head, again proving what she knew for so long, as his eyes betrayed the lie, speaking of something, that could _easily_ match a living hell and was proving how bad of a liar he actually was. A common trait he shared with his apprentice. She didn't know he'd broken a few ribs while confronting their once-been ally and friend, Hovarth (who had vanished in the heat of the battle, taking his cane and the rings attached to it with him, save the dragon ring, that had just _flewn off_ when Morgana died). Neither could she know that every touch of hers sent nerve-splitting pain through him which nearly made him cry out on agony. Nearly. But not as long he could prevent it by pressing the teeth tightly shut and thinking of nice things. Such as... as... ...

The sorceress watched with worry how her beloved one walked slowly onwards, one hand presseed to the torso and somewhat bent over, away from the fountain and in the direction of some sanguine colored _thing_ with four round wheelstwo front, two at the back side. The word _car_ wasn't known to her yet, so she decided it to be just some kind of _thing, _but she guessed the black things attached to it had the same function as those on a carriage. Maybe that was it all about? As her beloved one looked back to her, she snapped out of it, blocked out her thoughts of this place and especially the strange vehicle and started walking closer to him. Balthazar waited patiently, as she strode down the steps gracefully and rejoined his side. She could not _not_ notice how he shivered. As she took his hand, it was pretty warm too. A fever maybe? How could she have overseen it all the while?  
"Balthazar?", she asked hesistatingly, but he just shook his head again.

"I'm okay.."

"_Okay_..?" Another unknown word.  
"Yes... Let's get going.."

She nodded, but slung his arm over her shoulders, just in case. He looked ready to collapse, deadly pale and breathed flat, with a rattling sound too. Whatever _okay_ meant to her, he was _not_! Luckily, they somehow reached the _Phantom_, as Balthazar called his car.

"They use it instead of horses today...these things are called 'car' or 'automobile'...", Balthazar explained, as Veronica touched the cool metal, fascinated by it's shiny surface.

"But this one is enchanted...", he continued, watching with interest how the younger woman seemed to even take in the smell of the maschine.

"I can tell.. a spell against thievery... and a control spell...?" She practically asked the last thing as she looked up at him again, waiting for either confirmation or correction, wanting to tune into the enviroment as fast as he had and sucking in information like a sponge.

"Exactly.. but we should get in.. This city isn't known for being silent like this.. If the police finds us, they'll ask troublesome questions..", he replied with a tired voice, planning on answering her question about the police later, and led the confused sorceress to the co-driver's door, which opened on it's own for her, letting her in and closing smoothly when she sat comfortable. She watched Balthazar walking – more like stalking – to the other side again, slipping in with a painful looking wince and closing the door softly behind him.

As he turned to the wheel and concentrated just a moment, the car came to life with a deep humming and purred as the engine warmed up, greeting it's owner like a happy cat.

"Take us home, baby", the elder sorcerer whispered to the dashboard, before he, much to Veronicas shock, slumped backwards into the seat and was unconscious.

As it turned out, the car _knewexactly_ where home was. As if led by an invisible horse, it cruised through the busy streets, avoiding collisions, taking abrupt turns, even stopping in front of strange red lights, which turned yellow and green shortly after, just to make the car speed up once again.

Luckily, there weren't many ocassions to hold, so they made quite fast a progress.

When the _Phantom_ finally stopped for good – the purring sounds quietened down and the doors opened, once again, by themselves – she took a deep breath, having experienced the first car ride in her life and feeling dizzy from the extreme speed. Then she glanced at this _home_ the car brought them to. A huge wall with a pretty small iron fence door, a sign above it, reading "Off limits – Only permitted personal may enter", presented itself to her. Unknown to her, this was the turnaround, where Balthazar's apprentice had his lab. A shifting sound got her out of her stupor and drew her attention back to her beloved one. His glazed over but open eyes had a distant look in them, making Veronica's skin crawl and run over to him, being at his side within just a few heartbeats.  
"It's alright, Veronica.. We're allowed in there..and save...", he said, afterwards further explaining who owned the place, misunderstanding the sorrowful look in her eyes, thinking she might've misread the sign. When he tried sitting up, the darkblond regretted it the second he did, as blinding-white pain shot through his chest, forcing him back into the seat, jaws clenched with a hiss to block out the sensation. Damn that Hovarth!, the master sorcerer cursed mentally when his sight finally returned. He waited a moment before he made the next attempt, feeling his heart beating hard against the chest from the effort before. When he moved, Veronica helped him stand, supporting and leading him to the door, half-way carrying him. The door shut automatically with loud bang, making her jump. Before the sorceress could give a glance backwards, the _Phantom_ was already gone without a trace, true to it's name, leaving nothing but a distant humming in the air as it left to get some well deserved rest.

The lab's door was locked.

Not just deadbolt'd but furthermore enchanted, a spell going by the name _ward_. Usually used to lock out strangers or to give shelter to the user and some allies; it couldn't be overridden or broken by just anyone. The intruder had to be as strong or stronger than the one who used the spell. A pretty effective lock indeed! Looking for help Veronica made eye-contact with Balthazar, who just gave it a sigh and pulled the handle down using his free hand. It was probably _his_ spell to begin with, as the door opened without further trouble, giving way to it's master and glancing suspiciously at the woman beside him. _A glancing lock.._

The only real problem posed a semi-endless stair that wound like a snake and led downwards, starting just one big step from the exit. Veronica solved it by casting a levitation spell on the slightly stupored Balthazar, gently carrying him and setting him down on the stair's last step. He was, in fact, amazed about her powers. He'd thought she'd be weakened after her long sleep, not able to cast something difficult and challenging as this particular magic. But as always, his love surprised him by proving him wrong. Even if she looked a little short of breath right now, mabye a bit strained by using her just reawakening powers. But she wasn't about to give up now, nor would she admit her current weakness. For both their sakes she couldn't.

"So that's how the prime Merlinean lives..?", she asked, looking around and unable to overlook the Merlin's Circle burned into the ground. Curiously she went closer and looked at it. It had Balthazar's signature, which was just a small and insignifant flaw in the outer circle where the line wasn't completely even, giving the circle a barely visible edge, but it probably wasn't bad enough to disturb the energy flow. From that alone she concluded that it was his and smiled.

She still walked around in the lab, looking for something that could be used as a bed, maybe a sheet too. When she finally gave up on searching for something that obviously wasn't there, she returned to Balthazar, who still sat on the stairs, leaned against the railing and watched her graceful movements as she walked about. As she stood in front of him, he looked up at her, a kinda distorted smiling on his just slightly lined face, as she sat beside him.  
"You said, this is this.. Dave's... lab... but where do you live? Why did your... car was it?... bring us here instead of your home?", she asked with a confused look on her face.  
"This _is_ my current home, dear. I haven't had much time to rent an apartment", was the reply, which left her more confused than before.  
"But where do you..?"  
"Sleep? Over there..", he said, reading her intentions, then motioning to the small table with the Encantus and countless half-burned off candles on it. She unfemininely gaped.

"You're not serious, my love_._.. are you?"

He shook his head slightly in denial which left her paling in shock.

"I couldn't afford to rent something while searching for the prime merlinean... and when I found him, training him became my priority...", he explained, making her fume. She would have to have some words with this boy who forced her beloved to neglect himself just so he'd train him. She didn't care if he was Merlin in persona! With that on her personal checklist, she replied.

"No. This won't do. You're injured, I won't let you sleep there", she said decisive before she turned around, her petite hands making a few small gestures, forming a pile of anything mobile, which happened to be books and a few chairs right now and melted into a fully functional and pretty comfortable looking bed. She must've re-ordered some air-molecules too, the watching male sorcerer concluded, as the final product was a lot bigger than the original mass. She really hadn't lost her touch after all these years. Balthazar felt proud of her.  
"Is this what you have been looking for, dear?", Balthazar asked, as he watched her work, knowing well how Dave would react if he found out that his school books turned into a sleeping camp, but decided his apprentice wouldn't need either history or mathematics anyway, as history itself wasn't that remarkable and mathematics just unneeded burdens to his apprentice's much too often absently dreaming mind. He wasn't quite sure about english, but he guessed that this wasn't something someone needed to study at all. After all, Dave spoke it fluently which was more than enough to know about a language. For biology and phyics, he sure as hell was living both of them daily. One for the cold sweat, the other for the plasma bolts shot at him.

Veronica nodded, half a reply and half approving her own work, and moved the bed over to the stairs, using the very same levitation spell, then gestured and supported her beloved one to climb on it. As he collapsed on it with a sigh, she _walked_ the bed to a more secluded area of the huge room, where she let it slide to the ground nice and slowly. As she slid under the sheet and snuggled up to him, Balthazar suddenly lacked the interest in thinking anything at all and drowsed away more quickly than he'd been prepared for.

"My gosh, get a room, will ya?"

It was the voice of his valued apprentice, which woke them the next time. They'd slept through the night and the following day, as Balthazar realized with a quick look on his wall calendar and bit back a growl at the sudden loudness that invaded his ears and nurtured an already blooming headache of his.  
"In case you didn't notice, _Dave"_, he nearly hissed the boys name, taking him aback, "W_e did ge_t a room", he spoke in an annoyingly calm matter to the boy, who wasn't about to give in, neither would he fall for it.  
"You know exactly what I mean!"  
"Of course I know. I'm your master. And since this room is yours, it's mine, as you're my apprentice."

"What kind of logic is that!"

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you and Rebecca were on a little sight-seeing tour through France?"  
"Well... you know ..."  
"Oh, I get it. You had some weird fantasy and came to make it reality."

"Eh.. n-no! That's not..! Wait, wha-...?"  
"No? So you had a fight with the fair lady and now you're back to have me _shock_ this experience out of you."

"Come on, let me finish..!"  
"Go on, I'm listening."  
"I was worried, Balthazar!"  
"Where does that come from?"

"You've been _dead_, for heaven's sake! Everyone else would've needed something trivial like a three day stationary stay in the nearby hospital after that! Of course I'm worried! What do you think why I'd ditch Becky otherwise when not for you guys?!"  
"You know very well we can't just go to any ordinary doctor, Dave", Balthazar retorted cooly.

"And that's why again? Rule 37 or something?"  
"No, common sense. What can they do what we can't? Beside finding unusual brain activities? Been through it, Dave, thank you."

The elder sorcerer kept his voice low, while his apprentice seemed to get more agitated by every word he said. This throbbing headache wasn't about to improve his mood and to top everything, they'd woken up Veronica, who now mixed into the 'conversation'.

"Why do you guys have to shout about it!?", Veronica, by nature a long-sleeper, sat up with an annoyed look to her face and yawned.

"Look, who woke up... Good morning, Cinderella" Balthazar grinned, nudging playfully in her neck, effectively killing her wake-up mood. The frown was replaced with a sheepish smile and a fast kiss, making Dave sigh in annoyance, which got stuck in his throat when he felt his masters gaze upon him once again.

"You didn't answer my question"

"Yes I did! I was _worried_! About _you_!" Did he already forget?, Dave wondered silently.

"There's no reason to be.."

"No reason..? This is the freaking first time I ever find you laying down on a bed instead of trying to toast me! Isn't that reason enough?! Where does that thing come from anyway?"

A sly grin rushed over Balthazars face which crawled under Dave's skin to lay eggs and produce even more uncomfortable pre-munitions. He gulped hard. When his master continued, Dave was ready to jump out of his skin.

"Would you prefer to see us love each other on the cold floor? A bit more common sense, _Dave_", he said, enjoying the deep red blush the youth tried to hide with a facepalm and some unaudible murmuring. Unsuccessful. Veronica just stared at her beloved one, mouth half open.  
"Thank you very much for this image, _Balthazar_", Dave said sourly.

"You're welcome" came the innocent reply.

Dave growled, hands massaging his temples in an effort to ward off the assaults of his imaginative mind. Again, to no avail. He'd have to deal with it later. Without crying out loud. He decided to change the topic. Right now.

"Have you seen my stuff somewhere? I think I left the books here...", Dave asked, looking around, as the final exams where pretty close – and one of the reasons for their early return, but he wouldn't say that aloud – and he wanted to use his free-time to study. As he looked back to Balthazar, expecting a reply, he swore he could see the answer in his eyes. It finally clicked.

"Don't tell me.."  
"I won't."  
"You really just exist to make my life a living hell, right? RIGHT?"

"You don't know anything about a living hell. Oh, wait, maybe you do... Now."  
"Guys, would you stop bickering for once?", it was Veronica who intervened. "Dave, what did you need those _books_ for?"  
"Eh, learning I guess?"  
"Learn what?"  
"English and mathematics.. for the exams I guess.."  
"I'll help you with that", she stated, peeled off the sheet and slid from the self-crafted bed,

not without telling her husband to 'stay down, don't move and especially don't get up', before she turned to David again.

"Let's go over there", she said, motioning to the stairs, as the turnaround didn't include chairs anymore. They walked over and sat down on the actually pretty uncomfortable steps, while Dave explained to Veronica what he'd have to exercise in detail – though afterwards, he already felt like he didn't have to study anymore at all, as he had to update Veronica's knowledge to modern standards before she was even able to help him without downgrading his spoken english to ancient levels. Mathematics wasn't so bad, as the woman turned out to be quite good in it, even complicated formulas weren't a problem to her and as Dave taught her, he even understood some more stuff than he knew beforehand. She gave him a few problems – based on calculations for Alchemy, which in turn tought him a bit of that too – and he solved them easily.

After a few hours, he felt like he could mix the potion for eternal youth himself, while writing a novel in perfect english about it. While making enchanted brooms clean the floor. He already had forgotten why he'd been angry in the first place. It was only later that he let out a curse, realizing that he'd have to run to the bookstore right now to order a new set, since he'd be in trouble if he showed up without any. Luckily he was out of earshot, as he cursed in the brightest colors he could muster and would've earned a double plasma bolt for it. Probably.

Veronica watched him leave and returned to her husband just when she heard the door close and the ward-spell returning to it's low-pitched humming. Balthazar gave her a wicked grin.

"Ain't _I_ supposed to be his master?", he asked playfully, earning a scowl from her.

"Then _you_ should teach him next time. I just paid my dues", she said, acting insulted and raising her head to the max, but Balthazar knew her better and puffed her lightly to the side.

"Oh, I will. As soon as I'm _allowed_ to get up", he said. "More than he'll like."  
"Ehm... _okay_ then I guess...", she broke her act with a sigh, then continued "Now, let me take a look at your wounds. I'll see if I can heal them."

"It's not so bad, dear.." - she smiled at that. Playing the hero again...  
"Says the one driving car in his near comatose sleep."

He felt the defeat. And submitted to her by getting rid of the trenchcoat – and wasn't exactly sure why he hadn't removed it before going to bed in the first place -, forced himself out of the pure cotton vest and let both sink onto the matress. It bothered him that even such a minor thing as undressing posed such a problem right now so he avoided Veronica's eyes for now by laying down on his unharmed side. Her eyes were busy anyway, looking with horror at the blue-turning skin above the third and fourth rib, scanning for other injuries but she luckily found just some more bruises. But maybe she could take care of those too..  
"Hold still, my love", she whispered and laid both hands carefully on the damaged skin, feeling every muscle below them tense, but Balthazar gave no sound. Then she started the healing spell, murmuring an old latin formula, her ring began to glow in a light green hue, which extended to her hands, wandered on, surrounded the beaten up area and slowly but surely reduced the blue color to nothingness. The bones below moved together with a sickening, loud crunching sound which even managed to override the painful gasp of the master sorcerer below her. When it was done, her ring's glow died down and she sank into the pillows, right next to her beloved one. She knew she would have to repeat the spell a few times, but for now it would do.  
"Are you better, my love?", she asked, when she felt herself settle down from the exhausting spell, looking into her lovers steel blue eyes, who returned it with equal love.

"Yes.. Thank you..", he whispered, but she shook her head smiling.

"I'd do everything for you...", she whispered back, knowing and seeing he was out cold again, well, not quite cold maybe, as she noticed the smile on his lips. A genuine one. Smiling happy herself she snuggled up to him, knowing that nothing could part them anymore.

One week later.

Dave came crashing into the lab, snapping for air, as he'd been running all the way here. Damn that Balthazar, he though grimly, Why'd he have to tell him telepathically, in the midst of the chemistry course, just one freaking day before today '_he should appear tomorrow and be on time or he'd learn a thing about being swift like lightning_'?

Firstly, why'd his mentor – no, _master_, he corrected himself - even bother to? Dave would come by anyway... but at least, he could prepare mentally. Obviously (and much to to Dave's relieve), the elder sorcerer had recovered from his near-death experience relatively well and even felt alive enough to become himself again. As happy about the one fact David was, as little did he look forward to the training. Today, it would involve force fields, as he failed badly when confronting Morgana. It held alright, but lost power with each attack. Balthazar had remarked that he'd want to help out with that, so the blond knew exactly what was coming.

And, so he concluded, he really didn't look forward to it.

When he entered the turnaround, all he heard was abolute silence. The lights were turned off too. Not a single soul seemed to be down here. Warily – and on guard – the apprentice stepped down the stairs, looking around in the darkness of the underground area. Not even the circle was giving off it's usual emerald glow, signaling that it's creator in fact wasn't anywhere near.. or dead. But since David could put that into the 'impossible things'-category, he concluded the couple had moved out to do some sight-seeing or something. Maybe they went to _rent_ a room for a change.

Yesterday he'd received his books back, as he watched Veronica reversing the bed to it's original materials, thanking Dave for _borrowing _them for so long. He'd accepted the books with a forced smile, as he'd just purchased a new set and wasn't so sure he'd need two of each book. But he didn't want to look ungrateful so he decided to put those ones on eBay or something.

That didn't change the fact that they weren't here. Neither of them. He found this strange, since it was usually Balthazar who just _waited_ for him to come through the damn door, just itching to help _improve his magical reflexes_ as he called it. Which involved shooting flames or plasma bolts at him when he wasn't looking. Or make his own Tesla Coils act up against the young student.

To his credit, Dave had learned to build up a force field through the permanent caution and would've been pulverized by Morgana if it hadn't been for his master's brute training methods. But the very least could've been a theoretical introduction or something...

Looking for the light-switch he nearly fell over his own feet, as he didn't even see his hands if he held them up, avoided tripping over his tesla coils' cables by sheer luck, then finally found the switch..

As the overhead lights went sizzling on, they allowed his eyes to confirm what his mind had concluded already. Nobody home! Creative chaos everyhwere, but no trace of a deadly duel between ancient arch enemies. The ward had been in place too, leaving him in though, as he was tuned in to his master enough to be allowed by the spell. He went back to the stairs, having rounded the area one time without finding anything, and sat down, looking on his digital watch.

He'd been here for five minutes, and it was already later than the appointed time. Nothing wrong if it was anyone else... but not Balthazar, _the_ embodiment of punctuality. He _never_ was late. Strange enough for someone who once had nearly unlimited time on hand. The boy couldn't help but feel sick to the stomach. Something was wrong.. either that or they were having an awesome time together and forgot the time. Maybe reasonable after more than a thousand years of being seperated... His mind drifted off to thoughts of Becky, who he missed dearly right now.

Ten minutes, still no sign of them. Dave decided the old man would need a mobile phone when he finally came back. Especially for such occasions. And let it be that Dave didn't have to worry enough to flare up an old bad habit like biting his nails in nervousness anymore. When he realized that he already did it again, he put both hands on his lap immediately, angry with himself.

Fifteen minutes started to make him anxious. Now he knew that something was wrong. But what could he do? He didn't know where they'd run off to, neither did he know the enemy, his tactics or goals, which was a danger to itself, as he was prone to run into enemy traps the moment they were set. Just his luck!

When half an hour was over and there still was no sign of either of the two sorcerers he raised from the stairs, ready to go into another epic battle to the death, nearly flew up the steps, even reached the top, was just about to rip open the door and storm outside.. when it suddenly opened on it's own accord, revealing the ones he was about to sacrifice his life for. While Veronica looked curious about why he was in such a haste, his master gave him one hell of a wicked grin.

Just enough time for the apprentice to set up a shield. The next moment Dave found himself flying through the air, pushed by a sphere made from pure energy. He prepared for crashing into the wall, but before that happened, he was caught just an inch from it and then set down gently on the stairs, Balthazars Ring still glowing on his outstretched hand.  
"Where to, Dave? You have training today", the older stated, adding quite much to Dave's confusion. When he got back his composing, he growled back

"Well, I'm not the one _half an hour_ late and making people _sick_ with worry!"

"I already told you; there's no need to be worried, Dave. I'm fine."

"_Fine_? What about your injuries?"  
"Veronica healed me."  
"She... what.. _when_..?"

"Will you stand around all day with your mouth gaping open like a carp's? Come, we got a lot work to do today", Balthazar ended the discussion and passed the astounded Dave brushing him. Though the boy felt his mentor's hand pat his shoulder in the process, which took quite some weight of the young sorcerer and quenched the worries for now. Relieved he followed the Merlinean downstairs, finding him in the midst of the Merlin Circle, calling up it's flames as usual. They were brighter and more lively than ever. Obviously, the sorcerer was in top shape... or not bad enough to show it. Dave came closer and stepped into the circle, just where he was directed to. The elemental sphere. It started glowing even brighter when the young apprentice stepped into it. Veronica, who was watching them, sat on the steps and kept a sharp eye on her beloved one.

There were days when this Dave clung to her to-be husband just a bit too much for her taste. Granted, he was his student, his apprentice, in a sense his servant, but sometimes you could think this boy had deeper feelings for Balthazar. Feelings, she as his future wife had reserved for herself and him. But she kept this thoughts out of her face for the time being. For now, she watched as her beloved one shot a straight series of bolts at the boy who desperately tried to keep up this pitiful excuse for a shield. She could've broken it in seconds and grilled the boy in the process.

Balthazar didn't even seem to be concentrating. He glanced over to her every once in a while.. with a knowing look on his face. Could he really tell what she was thinking about? Back in their days with Merlin, he'd joked about it, claiming he could read minds and then failing completely at guessing that evening's dinner, losing the bet he'd made with Horvath, robbing his desert for the following two weeks. She chuckled as the memory played in her head, before the sorceress got serious again. But between them had always been a strong bond. Could he...?

Her thoughts were interrupted by this wretched boy's scream, as he was thrown off into the air once again to be caught by his master. Veronica heard him speak in a harsh, scolding tone which made Dave cringe and herself smile a little.

"Where's your head, Dave? You'll have to do better than that if you want to use the shield in battle", Balthazar spoke and stepped closer to his apprentice while setting him on the floor to stand on his own legs.  
"What's the _use_ anyway?", the frustrated youth exclaimed and lowered the gaze.

"The _use_? We won't be there forever to protect you. Some day you'll have to be able to defend yourself. And without a working shield, this _won't_ work. Got it?"  
"Yeah, sure, why not.. but.."  
"But?"  
"You know.. we've been training for _hours_ now.."  
"_Minutes_, Dave. Merely a few of them."  
"Okay, whatever! I'm meeting Becky later so I'd like to go home to clean and so on.."  
"So that's where you left it...", his master said with a knowing smile which gave Dave goosebumbs.

"You will stay right here, until your shield lasts at least one hour. Concentrate. When we're done you may go and visit Becky."

"Aw man..!"  
"Any complains? No? Then let's go on.."

Back to the routine, Veronica smiled. No mercy, not even on his apprentice. Though, Merlin had been not much of a gentle master either, in contrary to the popular sayings. He'd been wise, kind, gentle too, in general, but when it came to training and lessons, he'd made his apprentices learn the stuff the hard way. It was the best one to raise a student. And entertaining, to both, the master and possible spectators. In Balthazars case, mostly him.

When they finished, the boy looked pretty much trashed. His t-shirt had some serious cuts and holes, the jeans' legs were in shreds, and if you looked closely enough, you'd find bruises on the youth's body. But he'd managed to master the shield by now. For a little longer than an hour he'd managed to keep it up, even under the constant attacks of his master, who looked equally tired, but it showed less. Not at all, if you asked David though.  
"You're making progress", Balthazar's voice broke the silence, making Dave's exhausted head snap up. "Progress? Really?", he asked, having expected another series of attacks instead of something like a compliment, even if it was a shallow one. The older sorcerer nodded in approval and added "If you want, you can go now."

"ALRIGHT!", the youth called, making his master raise one eye-brow in sceptism, as he watched him storm outside, leaving them alone again and nearly running over Veronica in the process, while she avoided the young appentice with grace. Her husband left the circle and sat down beside her, suddenly looking a lot older than he biologically was.

"You look tired, my love...", she said, not sure if he even took notice of it, but after a few seconds of catching his breath, he looked up to her, which encouraged her to continue.

"Why do you keep on training him? Morgana La Fey is dead, my love."  
"Even if she is, he's still my apprentice. We made an oath, Veronica. And I'm not about to break it. When the day comes and he doesn't need me anymore, then it'll be so. Until this day I'll teach him what I can."  
"But to this extend? Even if your wounds are healed, you're still recovering, my dear. Please don't overdo it.."

She noticed the thoughtful look in his eyes. His silence was answer enough, but he gave another, after a few more moments.  
"... what was it about earlier? I felt _hatred..._ coming from _you_ ...", he asked, less of an answer and more of a statement than a question. "Who was it directed at?"

Veronica's brown eyes were cast down, avoiding his storm blue ones.

"He's wearing you down... eventuelle he'll be getting between us...", she finally said, feeling ashamed of herself for such thoughts. She knew how much her husband liked this boy. But until she was sure of her feelings, she wasn't about to admit them. Not yet.

"Do you really think that?", he asked in a calm voice that shook her inside.  
"Am I wrong?"  
"Yes, beloved, you are. Don't you trust me?"  
"Of course I trust you... Just.. just don't forget me.."  
"Forget you? Veronica, where's this coming from?"  
"I don't want to be alone again..", she looked up at him again, but Balthazar remained thoughtful, somewhat disappointing to her. ".. say, would you abandon him..? For me?"  
At that he flinched, which not went unnoticed by her.  
"Would you?", she repeated, still waiting for an answer. When she got none, she sighed.

No answer was the best answer after all... "I see... nevermind then..."

With that, she stood and walked over to the newly acquired – and bought - bed, slipped under the satin cover und didn't say another word. Balthazar watched this, felt confused and followed her after a while, slipping under the sheet, but when he tried to embrace her, she just shrugged him off. The revenge of a woman, the master sorcerer thought and kept a sigh inside, turned his back to her, submitting himself to sleep once more, feeling like the old man he was for once.

"Get away from me!", Veronica screamed all of a sudden, sitting straight up in bed, sweat-bathed and pale as if she'd seen a ghost, Balthazar next to her, shocked about her sudden outbreak and trying to calm her by holding her freezing cold hand.  
"It's alright, my love, you're save", he said soothing, but it didn't seem to work. If anything, she started crying so hard now so he had to pull her close to him, just so she wouldn't start to hyperventilate. And she was close to it, judged by the frantic sobs and her tears dampening his shirt. "Shh, a deep breath, dear! Yes, that's right..", he cooed, when she finally calmed down, snuggling close into his arms, listening to the semi-steady beat of his heart. He hadn't recovered and the strain had worsened it, she knew. It didn't help much to ease her fear. This nightmare, it had scared her. She'd seen him dead, again. And Morgana...

"I'm sorry, my dear.. did I wake you?", she whispered, still sobbing a bit.

"A bad dream?", he asked, stroking her head with one hand and her back with the other, she nodded silently. "Morgana?", another guess, another nod. Fathomable, the last millenium left a trauma in her. He knew nobody who'd withstand one thousand years locked up into a puppet with someone as evil as Morgana La Fey. Not even without her to be true. By now, Balthazar would've guessed his love more insane than himself and was more than surprised she'd gotten out unscathed. But thinking back, she might've been not. She'd never been the type to be jealous to begin with. Their talk earlier had opened his eyes. He would have to be especially careful if he was to prevent a disaster between the two people he held dear.

He'd take care of it later. For now, the elder was glad his partner had settled down and seemed to fall asleep again. When she was out, he gently laid her back into the pillows and pulled the sheet over her in a loving gesture. No way he could sleep now. When he'd made sure of her sleeping tightly he glided from unter the sheet, took his trenchcoat and slipped into his _old man_-shoes – as Dave had claimed sourly once – before he silently tiptoed up the stairs and vanished into the night. He'd need this night walk.

Now.

In the morning Veronica woke up, well rested, as no more nightmares had disturbed her sleep. She stretched long and then looked forward to give her beloved one a good-morning kiss.. but when the sorceress touched the air beside her, her hand didn't find anything. Irritated she opened her eyes, even sat up, but still, the empty space remained. No Balthazar, it wasn't even warm anymore. He must have left for long.., she thought, feeling sad all of a sudden, and peeled out of the sheet, got up and started to walk around like a caged tiger. Just where could he have gone and why wasn't he back by now?  
She barely noticed the arriving apprentice and started sharply, when that one touched her shoulder. "Good morning", he said simultanous to her shocked squiek and just narrowly avoided a wave of ice crystals, aimed at the possible ambassor, hitting the next wall and which froze over instantly.  
"Hey, it's me!", Dave protested the second he caught his breath and she finally realized that he wasn't about to kill her.  
"D-don't do that _ever_ again!", she barked, making the youth flinch. "Have you seen Balthazar?!"  
"Wait.. what do you mean, _have you seen him_, I thought he was with _you_!"  
"He was, but he's gone, _where_ is he?!"

"Calm down, he can look after himself!"  
"What do you know! He still sick! The cold could kill him!"

"Sick? He seemed alright yesterday.."  
"Are you blind?", she screeched and turned her back to the youth, already sobbing again.  
Startled, Dave tried to come closer, but a barked 'Stay away' kept him on distance.  
"This is all your fault...", she sobbed, further confusing him. "If you just were gone.."  
"What did I do to you?", Dave shouted at her, more out of panic than real anger, stepping back.

"If you're so concerned about him, why're you still here instead of looking for Balthazar!?"

No answer, just her silent sobs.

"Fine. Stay here and cry your eyes out. I'm gonna search for him."

Still nothing. But the young didn't care anymore. He'd already stormed up the stairs and was out of the door before he could hear the whispered "I'm sorry, Dave" from the one he left behind.

As he hurried through New Yorks streets, he scanned every corner. He passed the central park, even checked the fountain, and finally visited the now abandoned pent-house of the previous show-magician Drake Stone (he found the steel eagle where it belonged), and had still no trace of his master. Had he been kidnapped? Or was he really that sick like Veronica had suggested? He shook his head, looking down from the balcony of the pent-house and taking a deep breath, clearing both head and mind and started thinking.

"Where are you, buddy?", he whispered and suddenly an image reflected in front of his mind's eye.

A huge mobile phone store, with a door sign that kept showing 'closed', whichever way it was turned by it's frantic owners. Beside the store's steps, he saw Balthazar, sitting on a low wall, calmly slurfing instant noodles from the nearby chinese restaurant. The master looked up, as if he'd heard something. When he shot a look straight at his apprentice's mind's eye's direction, the vision ended abruptly, bringing the shocked Dave back to reality. But he got all the information he needed. Now the only question was how to get there. The store was at the other end of the city, impossible to reach before sunset. His eyes met the steel gargoyle. He sighed. "Again..."

It had seemed so easy when he and Rebecca had travelled on it. Now the steel bird didn't seem to listen to his mental commands for whatever reason anymore! It took a while, until he got the drill. When he finally found out how to control the its flight, he let out a relieved snort. "Thanks, big boy, now let's find your master.. our master..", he corrected the last part quickly, as if he'd have to fear the heaven's wrath itself. Not that the iron creature cared. It took flight in the exact direction of the central park, making Dave wonder why he had had problems to begin with it.

They landed in front of the mobile phone store, but to Dave's horror there was no sign of the older sorcerer. All he found was the empty noodle cup, sitting lonely on the socket, and a 'closed' sign in the mobile phone store's door, the owners seemingly discussing something in the background of said store. Dave couldn't hear them but he could tell what they were talking about by the hasty gestures at the door and he felt sorry for any trainee of them. He or she would lose their

job.

Some passengers looked strangely at the weird boy staring at the store, but didn't seem to have noticed the unnatural creature beside him, which sat beside the youth without a motion, waiting for further commands, resembling a statue. When it felt a known pat to it's wings though, it gave it a screech and flew up, leaving back a consternated and shocked apprentice, who called and cursed after the bird, attracting further strange looks of the people around him, as they hurried on, scared of the obviously insane boy. It was as if they hadn't even seen that massive collection of steel just fly away.. or chose not to do so.

Dave cursed a few more times, but got silent when the bird was out of sight. Lowereing his fist he sighed for the maybe 200th time this week, just now noticing the glance staring down his neck. When he finally turned around, he jumped from the fact to see someone standing there, looking at him with sceptism.

"What are you doing here, Dave? I thought you had to study for your exams?", asked a familiar voice, belonging to nobody else than his master, who seemed to have come out of nowhere and nearly had given Dave a heart-attack.

"What am I..? What are _you_ doing here, Balthazar! Veronica is completely _hysterical_ and you.. _you_ just _sit_ here and eat _noodles_ like nothing was wrong!", said youth barked, out of his stupor and ready to jump at his counterpart, who just stayed cool as a cucumber. Further he added, pointing at the shop's sign – still saying 'closed' – "And what is this?"

"I am reclaiming my store, what do you think?"

"Reclaiming is what you do at the _city hall_, not in front of the _store_!"  
"They refused to sell."  
"So you _cursed their sign_ to flip over on it's own?"  
"There are no curses in this world, Dave. You would know that, if you'd read your Encantus just a little more frequently. I just changed the content by moving the ink's molecules a bit.", he replied, using the 'a bit' gesture, usually used to describe his mental state, while the sign changed to "See?", before reclaiming it's previous content. Dave stared at the sign for a second, mouth hanging slightly open, then turned his attention back on the culprit.

"That's the same, damnit!"

"It's just a pun."

"Since when-..."  
"While we're at it.. when did I allow you to spy on me, Dave?"  
"Spy? How-..."  
"I noticed.. But I'd prefer if you didn't use that on _me_."

"It was an _emergency_, for god's sake!"

"_Privacy_, Dave, is something that should _not_ be disturbed, not even if a person is on her death-bed."  
"That's _exactly_ what I was afraid of..."

"Come again?"  
"Nevermind"  
"Good."

With that, the older one walked on, leaving an, again, consternated apprentice behind and just waiting for a moment, so that one could catch up. "Are you coming? I need to figure out this thing."

It was now that Dave noticed the little box in his master's hands, which looked suspiciously like a mobile phone's ...

The sun was setting when they finally got back to the turnaround. Dave had used the time – and it had been quite a while to _walk_ this distance instead of _flying_ – to introduce Balthazar to his newly acquired piece of technology, which turned out to be a _Nokia 3210_, and he'd been quite unsuccessful at finding out why the Merlinean hadn't bought one earlier (he didn't even ask why the master had bought a phone that was outdated ten years ago).

No matter how he asked, Balthazar gave him either no or no helpful answer so the darkblond let the topic drop. Out of worthwhile topics, Dave had been silent on the rest of the way, very much to his masters liking, who actually was too busy with himself to answer some irrelevant questions.

When they came _home _they were expected already. The sun was about to set and Veronica stood outside waiting, not crying anymore, but obvious traces on her cheeks proved she hadn't really calmed down after Dave had left her, which in turn made him feel bad for doing so in the first place.

"What have you guys been up to?", she greeted them from afar, making Dave wince and want to hide, even though she had said it in a fake cheery manner. Balthazar didn't seem influenced by it, he just smiled back.

"Shopping", he called in a likewise cheer which gave off some dreaded vibes.

"Ahh, I see, good for you!", Veronica replied, the inevitable crash imminent, as they'd gotten closer to each other all the time. But it never happened. They both stopped a metre from each other, the air thick enough to cut into slabs and put it on a bread. Dave decided he'd be better off leaving, but when he made a move to turn and sneak off, he heard his master calling

"Where off to, Dave?"

"H-home?", the younger one meekily offered, but knew that he was found out.

"Ah. Go then.", came the unexpected reply, which made the youth wonder at first, then run, before the elder Merlinean could change his mind.

Veronica looked after him, then she turned to Balthazar.  
"You don't have to do that."  
"Do what, my dear?"  
"You sent him home to prove something, didn't you?"  
"I don't know what you mean. We're both tired and he can't sleep with us."  
"Are you sure that's the only reason?"

Balthazar looked at her, head slightly tilted to the side, before a smile plastered his face which puzzled Veronica visibly.

"What?", she demanded.

"Nothing.", he replied, laying one hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off, the look in her eyes fierce. She didn't _want to know_, she _demanded_ an answer. He indeed had sent Dave home early, but not to prove anything.. he just had offered it as a token of peace since the fair lady seemed somehow upset with him. Balthazar looked for words, but what he truly lacked was time, as Veronica lost her patience, turned on the heels and left him standing, the door to the subway slamming shut behind her. Particular sounds came from the door, then hasty and echoing steps, before silence claimed the evening air once again.

He stepped closer to the entry door, only to find it had been locked. Even the ward had been changed, an impressive feat for the fact that Veronica was his match in powers.

"Veronica?", Balthazar called, but went unheard The master knocked a few times, calling her name a second time, until some far away neighboor shouted something like "Shut the f*** up down there!" and "Any more and I'll call the police!", forcing the elder to submit. She didn't want him there tonight, more than obvious. He tried it one last time, mental level this time.

/Veronica? I will take a walk. Please unlock the door before I come back..\\, he willed his thoughts to reach her but couldn't tell if she'd listened at all, as there wasn't a reply. So the defeated master sorcerer strode off again into the young night.


	2. Chapter 2

Dave had had one hell of a night.

Not only that his school life suffered from his dual-studies, no, he didn't even sleep tonight to begin with. First of all, Bennet had decided to invite his girlfriend so they'd played lovers all night long. Tank's idea of a peaceful night included abdominal bloatings, even worse ones than usual. That further damaged his sleep-rhytmn though, as his lungs demanded for fresh air every few minutes, denying to work with the methan infiltrated gas, so Dave had to open the window, which lowered the room temperature by like twenty degrees. Even rolling into the bed sheets didn't fully fend off the incoming cold, so he was kept awake pretty much the whole night.

Then there were the thoughts. That kind of thoughts which can keep you awake if you decide to follow them. They wandered around aimlessly, but their core were always the same. Veronica and Balthazar. He had wanted his master to become happy after that night in Battery Park. Not to acquire a woman who, for some reason, hated him of all. Dave couldn't find a reason for it, not at all. But her venomous glares she shot at him all the time... Then their fight just yesterday. She had been upset alright, but anger had the tendency to give price people's true thoughts. So she really didn't want him there? It was his lab to begin with though. He'd need it to graduate. They couldn't keep him from it! At least the youth hoped so, as he rolled to his side with a low yawn. Why couldn't his life be like anyone else's? Good thing today was Sunday, so he at least he could stay in bed a bit longer. Maybe he'd find some sleep...

It was 7am when he heard a trashcan crash somewhere outside on the streets. Dave, who'd been fast asleep for not even half an hour sat straight as a pole in bed, awake in seconds and cursing the cat which must've knocked the thing over. Tank looked up at him, licking it's broad mouth and yawning a high-pitched sound before returning to sleep. Lucky one. Dave murmured something while he left the bed, grabbed a few casual clothes and washed up, took a snack for breakfast – not without noticing Bennet, who sat alone on the table and greeted him with a broad smile, his girlfriend must've left earlier – then his jacked and vanished out of the door without a word, leaving an unknowing roommate behind.

Outside the appartment the youth took a deep breath first. There was a cool breeze, making him shiver slightly, as expected on a day in mid-September. The sun, barely risen over the horizon, did her best to warm up the world but failed miserably. Dave could even see his own breath as it took the form of a little cloud and dissolved into cold air. He rubbed his hands, forcing some circulation in them, when he, out of the border of his sight, noticed something black on the bench on the other side of the street.

A person, without doubt. They looked pretty much like a homeless man with the newspapers as blanket, the hat covering his face for privacy while sleeping on the bench, the bejeweled hands locked in each other for warmth, bedded on the cloak of his raw hide trenchcoat... Wait, what?

The student snapped out of his stupor and crossed the street, even without looking beforehand. Not much traffic anyway and he wanted to know. Now. He stood before the person and nearly felt at loss for words. Save one. "_Balthazar_!", he half barked, whereupon the man stirred, rolled to face Dave and nearly crashed off the bench, being able to catch himself though by sheer reflex, only to sit up grumbling and look up to the one who'd waken him.

"Dave?", he yawned, being indeed the elder sorcerer. "What're you doing here so early?"

"That's what I want to know. About you.", the younger replied, mustering his friend who stretched now with crackling joints and didn't seem to fully have taken in the situation. The reply wasn't quite what he'd expected. Then he looked around and it finally clicked.

"What am I doing here..?", he half asked the air around him, and half it went to Dave who just shrugged, worry written all over his face. Slowly his memory caught up, replaying the events of yesterdays night. His hand wandered to his nose's bridge, pressing on it slightly as if to ward of serious headache. "Nevermind...", he said without waiting for Dave's answer and moved to get up but lost balance on half the way, just to find himself caught by his counterpart.  
"You okay?", Dave asked like an overly worried mother and helped the older man stand, even if somewhat shaky, getting a confirming nod.

"I need to go, Veronica will be waiting already.."  
"Wait, what happened?"

"Nothing."  
"You sleep out here for _nothing_?"

"Yes."

"You could catch a cold!"  
"_Warmth_-Spell."

The youth resisted the urge to hit the elder for his monotone answers. He felt seriously worried about his friends welfare and that one just pretended for it to be normal to sleep on a bench in the probably coldest night of the year! The apprentice forced himself to calm down, but noticed his master had walked on already, leaving him to his own thoughts. Dave decided he'd follow him anyway, even if at a distance.

A little while later Dave found him in front of the subway turnaround's door. Waiting for something, staring at the door, too concentrated on something invisible to take notice of him. The youth stepped closer carefully, not wanting to disturb his friend whatever he was doing. When that one started speaking, Dave flinched and could hold back a shriek – it would be too embarrassing to do that again.

"It's locked.", Balthazar stated the obvious and Dave looked at the door, shrugging.  
"Of course it is, you did it-"

"Not. It's not my magic."

"Then maybe Veron-..."  
"No. And before you ask, Hovarth wasn't here either."  
"Then who-..."

"Can't you sense it?", the older asked in a serious tone, still mustering the door, then throwing Dave a smirk, telling the apprentice the next training lesson's topic and making him shiver with all kinds of possible images in his head. "We got to work on that"

"I get it, okay? So who's about to assault us this time?"  
"... you really don't feel it?"  
"No!"  
"You've fought this aura just a week ago...", Balthazar stated furthermore and watched the color leave Dave's face in an alarming pace.

"This can't be...!", he replied, stepping back a little. "Morgana is dead!"  
"Dead doesn't always mean gone.."  
"But... she perished!"  
"Maybe I'm wrong – unlikely but possible -, let's check it out.. Veronica is still in there..."  
"Nutcase.."

"Come again?"  
"Nevermind!"

"Good. We need to break this ward first. Stretch out your arm, yes, that's it", Balthazar praised as his student did as he said, looking at his master expectantly. "You're looking in the wrong direction, Dave. The ward is over here... remember what I told you about making fire?"  
"Visualizing the molecules?", Dave recited and Balthazar nodded.  
"Exactly. Burn the ward."

"That's ridicolous, even you couldn't do it.. how am I supposed to..."  
There was a calm patience in his voice, as the master replied. "Just do what I say, Dave. Trust me."

Dave tried. And tried hard. Something resisted against his efforts, he even seemed to hear Morgana laugh and saw her taunting face in front of his mental eye. The ward didn't even buldge and somehow it felt like it wasn't only Morgana's power working here. "She's pulling from Veronica's magic", Balthazar spoke, invading Dave's thoughts and making him nearly lose his focus. But this made sense; Is this what he was supposed to feel? Another feeling mixed into it and as Dave looked just a little to the side he saw that his master had stretched out his arm too, again focusing on the door as before.

"Don't look at me", he said with an evened voice. "Focus!"  
The younger sorcerer did. And the second they both did simultanously, the ward finally broke under their combined powers. The door didn't snap open, it burst into little metallic particles with a loud crash, making Dave flinch once again, this time thinking of the bill he'd get for replacing this one.

But there was no time for that. He ran after his master who didn't take the time to hesistate, the space between them growing in seconds until he was out of sight, while Dave was just beginning to descend the stairs. The apprentice found his master at the bottom of the stairs, standing staring at something. He came to stand beside him, followed his look and found the Merlin Circle half eraded, the stone below dug out in a huge pit, lit by only the weak flames the leftover circle part gave off to greet it's creator. The overhead lights had been destroyed, sparks jumping from it from time to time, but it gave the underground area a pretty bad lighting altogether. It was too dark to see any further than a few metres and summoning a flame might've given off their location to the potential enemy.

Tension had filled the air the moment they'd entered. Just when Dave thought he'd lose his mind, he heard, or better felt, his companion speak lowly /Calm down.\\, mostly to his mind, which snapped him out of it. That's when he saw it. Wasn't there something in the shadows? He concentrated again, thinking /Balthazar, over there..\\, getting a /Yes, I've seen it. Be careful\\ as reply, whereupon both started to sneak towards the alien object.

As it turned out it was a broom which's shade only looked like a person's. Though it had been enchanted, confusing both their senses, but when Balthazar figured that out it was too late. He felt the spell before he saw the plasma bolt fly towards Dave and shoved him aside just in time, throwing the surprised youth to the ground and dooming the broom. The energy ball hit the straw and enflamed it easily, finally easing the darkness and giving off enough light to reveal another figure, the face still in shadows though, standing at the stairs now and forming another deadly bolt. But this time, both were prepared and avoided with a jump as the ball flew towards them. A shrill laughter filled the room, echoing from the stone walls.

"Is that all you fools can do? Run away?", the distorted voice asked rethorically, the spell hitting the bed, turning it into a giant torch, further illuminating the room and revealing the final features of the enemy, which made Balthazar gasp in shock, as it was Veronica standing there, loading another plasma bolt, bigger this time, but waiting for something. She was playing with them, kinda like a cat playing with it's prey before eating.

"Dave.. It's not Veronica... She's posessed!", Balthazar whispered to Dave who stared at him in disbelieve. Was he real? Though .. he turned back to the chanting woman. This unholy glance in her eyes, it couldn't be her, even if she was angry at them for some reason, this was too much. And if Morgana really was inside her, there was only one way to prevent a disaster.. Dave didn't even want to think about what that would mean to his master.

The next attack unfolded a blazing inferno, setting aflame everything in the room within seconds. Dave lost eye-contact to his master and called for him, but he was alright. The flames turned to ice in seconds, frozen in place and then shattered, but before the shards hit the floor, they were being sent to the attacking sorceress. The master's spell hit home and the woman was pierced by countless little particles and sweeped off her feet by the power of the attack. Darkness reclaimed the room once again, making it hard to decide if she was alive or not. Balthazar took the chance and levitated the Grimhold from it's hideout in the shadows to himself, running over to the fallen woman. He didn't want to have to do this.. he really didn't. He'd fought for over thousand years to get her out... as he knelt by her side his confidence had lessened far enough for him to hesitate and in his uncertain state he overheard the warning of his apprentice. When he snapped out of it, it was too late to react.

The possessed wasn't dead, not at all, just angry. And the master felt her wrath, as her pressure wave threw him against the next tesla coil, knocking the breath out of his lungs. It came worse yet. As he fell to the ground he wasn't fully conscious and unable to prevent the coil from tilting, he didn't even seem to notice. Even if he had, laying unmoving on the floor it'd been impossible for the sorcerer to avoid at all.

Dave tried to catch the copper spool by levitation, leaving Morgana out of sight for a second, which gave the witch the opening she'd looked for, so she sent a plasma bolt right into the youth's side, knocking him to the wall. When gravity reclaimed him, he fell to the ground and stayed down, trying to regain focus. Then there was a sound; the creak of the falling tesla coil. Just a few heartbeats later a loud crash, accompanied by a sickening crack and a short but sharp outcry followed, then eerie silence. Dave, hearing his own pulse and feeling sick from panic, desperately tried to get his master to react by thought transmission, but he didn't even feel him over there, much less did he get a reply.

"Balthazar?!", he called out loud this time, still no answer. The youth felt weak and lightheaded as he struggeled to his legs and staggered over to where he suspected his friend, but was thrown to the ground by another plasma bolt, this time too tired and hurt to rise again. By the smell of old leather and a hint of sulfur he could tell he'd fallen close to his unresponsive master and crawled over, until his hands felt the raw hide under them. It was where he'd pass out. Before everything went silent on him, he thought he'd hear a meek voice say "Dave...? Is that you?".

When he awoke the next time he was alone. And cold. And alone. Wait a second..

He sat up slowly and winced anyway. What had happened? He didn't seem to remember a thing.. but he definitly felt horrible and wondered what caused this, beside his ribs giving him a hard time breathing. Each breath proved difficult.. Suddenly it came back to him with revenge.

Morgana. Veronica.

Balthazar...

The youth bit back a sob as he thought back and looked in the direction his fragmented memory remembered where his master and friend lay. It was too dark to see, so he extended an arm in that direction and felt again for the hand he'd found before he'd lost consciousness. Nothing.

Somewhere between irritation and confusion he tried again, crawled even a bit closer. Still nothing! Again wincing he conjured a small fireball and looked. Beside his irreparably damaged tesla coil there was nothing.

Only one thing... it shimmered, laying hidden under the spool, covered in a small pile of dust, which dimly reflected the fire's shine. The young sorcerer slowly dragged himself closer, always on guard in case the thing would suddenly jump at him or something. As it turned out he'd found a golden necklace. One that looked exactly like the one that evil witch... no, Veronica had carried... just how many coincidences could ...?

"Are you finally awake?", a voice from somewhere to the right snapped his train of thoughts and made him turn around quickly enough to upset his aching side and make him once again wince and lowly curse in the same move. Then he realized he knew the voice. It spoke on in an annoyed tone, but betrayed both, pain and tiredness.

"Dave? You there?"

"Balthazar?!"  
"Ah, you decided to join the conversation. Good."

For a second Dave wanted to lose his cool.

For the friction of a petasecond he wanted to jump over there and _actually_ murder Balthazar.

Or just scream at him.

Or play _Alvin and the Chipmunks_ to him until he went crazy. More.

In fact, actually he wanted to rush over there right now to confirm he hadn't lost it himself, but his body didn't oblige that wish. Instead he pushed himself to his legs and walked to the direction he'd heard the voice from. Again, he found his friend by smell. He'd become well enough in it that he'd have to fear for a new series of comments about being a better dog than an apprentice or something. This time, a trace of salt water mixed into it, irritating him. His summoned fireball illuminated the way so he didn't run into Balthazar by accident, instead he sank to the ground next to him and, like his master, back leaned against the wall. What the apprentice couldn't copy was that awkward angle of his companion's legs though. It looked painful enough for Dave wanting to ask how the other had gotten that far in the first place, when he noticed the dark colored puppet in his grip, one hand pressing it to his chest, the other giving some support to the body by resting on the ground. The younger one wanted to ask.. Where Veronica was, how it came they were still alive.. He'd also like to say something like "How dare you to freak me out like that?"... but the words simply didn't leave his mouth. Didn't even reach the tongue. Simply got stuck in his brain for further reflection. Well enough. For his lack of words, silence claimed the air once again.

".. she's gone..", Balthazar finally said.

Dave couldn't quite comprehent the words as it seemed, so Balthazar thought a moment, long enough to make his apprentice become impatient, as the elder felt the younger's warm hand on his own, slight pressure coming from it.  
"You okay?", said youth asked, seemingly relieved for the nod he got.

"... yeah..."

It wasn't as if Dave didn't buy it. He just didn't believe that _yeah_. At all. As the other turned his head a little and looked at him, the sorcerer trainee nearly shrinked back from the emotions that washed over him in that moment. Fear was there, regret, a bit of pain, anger at some undefined person.. and pictures, blurry and dim. As Dave blinked though, the literal spell broke, and with it went all he felt just now. Even his master looked away with something like guilt showing on the tired face.

_She is dead, you fool. -_ Dave's usually physics trained brain shouted those words at it's owner, as the grim conclusion was made. The lump in his throat grew quite heavy as he digested the insight. It all made sense now. The pictures he saw.. had they been memories?

"Yes.. And I'd appreciate if you don't even think about it, Dave..", Balthazar suddenly said beside him, giving him the please-listen-to-me-for-once look, effectively closing Dave's apprentice cocked his head slightly, not unlike a puppy who tried to better understand it's master. Again with the dogs, Dave thought grimly and shoved the thought aside, fixing his posture and pushing himself up, earning a confused look by his master and seeing the outstretched hand of his apprentice waiting for his.

"Let's get you to a doctor.."

"Dave.. that's really not..-"  
"If you could heal yourself, you had done it already, wouldn't you?"

"..."  
"I'll take that as yes"

Balthazar sighed and took the offer of help, somehow made it to stand – though Dave suspected Balthazar to be experiencing a whole new level of pain while keeping it out of his face enough to be not breaking out in tears – and let himself be led to the stairs, where both of them slumped down, panting from even that small distance they'd covered.

The lab was pretty much messed up whereever you looked. Dave found it easier to see after they'd been down here for a while and he could see the damage to a half-way decent degree and didn't wish for more insight. This would be one hell of work to get it back right... Again, he looked at his master who rather laid than sat on the stairs, the Grimhold still clutched tightly and trying not to gasp for air, though his breathing was still far off normal and coming in sharp waves. There was no way the older sorcerer would be moving anywhere anytime soon.

"Don't worry about me, Dave."

It nearly had the younger Merlinean laugh sarcastically, but knowing it didn't help the situation, he didn't. But it carried over anyway, judged by the next words his master said.

"Go and get the car... I'll meet you outside."

"Geez, you can't be serious, Balthazar!"  
"You're old enough to drive, so yes, I am."  
"That's not what I mean!"  
"Dave, go. Now."

There was an emphasis behind his words now, making Dave gulp hard and nod.

"Alright alright, but don't move! I'll be back."

With that, he shakingly stood and rushed up the stairs, stood there panting for a moment, jumped through the non-existant door and looked left and right, searching for the phantom, which was nowhere in sight. "Oh boy", he sighed and walked to the right. Nothing. Back to the entrance, further on, nothing. Turning at a corner and walking around it he mentally cursed. Where was the freaking vehicle?

After a while of hopelessly searching, the youth decided to go back, rounded the corner and was just finished compiling an explaination when he heard the horn of a car beside him, a dreadful noise to his aching head.

"We need to work on your instincts, Dave. Get in.", Balthazar called from inside the car through the open window, scaring the hell out of Dave.  
"Just.. what.. how.. why.. what..", he stuttered, trying to formulate a question on how the elder had gotten up the stairs in the first place, let alone drive the car with the obviously broken legs and ...!

"Come on now.", the amused sounding voice broke through the thick mists of Dave's confused thoughts, making him close in on the car, open the door, jump into the seat and close the door again, before he stared at his master, who just gave it a low chuckle.

"If I wouldn't know better I'd say it's your first day of being a sorcerer, Dave.."

"You could've told me you could do that!", Dave exclaimed, half joking, relieved, acting offended in a poor way and earning a half-amused smile of the other.

"Just a little levitation, nothing special, Dave. And a little extra for carrying me", the elder said, further confusing Dave. As they drove by the lab though, the door was reconstruced like on it's first day. Dave stared after the thing, then looked back at his master, who, much to the youths horror, was fast asleep behind the car wheel, leaned back into the seat. For a second Dave wanted to panic and wake the elder, then he noticed just how smooth the phantom rolled on by itself. Relaxing the youth leaned back as well, trusting the vehicle to bring them where-ever.

The goal turned out to be the closest clinic. Dave whistled in admiration at the car's navigation skills, looking up at the high, white walls of the Bellevue Hospital Center. The youth cast a quick glance to his still sleeping – by the looks of it though, the elder was more unconscious than just sleeping - master, before he climbed out of the phantom and ran to the reception to get help.

Of course he didn't make it to the next day's lesson at NYU.

It was his girlfriend Becky who seemingly tried to crash his door bell button and his sense of hearing just with it! When he rolled over, he found himself not only in his own appartment and bed, but also staring at the alarm clock which told him it was like 2 PM which made him groan into the pillows before the youth, sore everywhere, got out of bed, took a shirt and fresh jeans, then went to open the door.

As he did, he found Becky half between fury and half flowing apart.

"_Why didn't answer your phone_?!", she shrieked at him, leaving a bad feep in his left ear. He still looked trashed and he knew it, so did his girlfriend who suspiciously fast calmed down and looked over him.

"Rough night?", she asked, he nodded, not even wanting to think about it..

"Do you.. want to come in...?", Dave asked, feeling awkward about talking on the doorstep where everyone – who hadn't already done so - could hear them.

They entered the kitchen and Dave offered Becky a drink while she first sat on the table, then started cramping in her backpack, fishing out some papers and placing them on a neat heap on the table. Homework and notices probably, quite a lot of them. Dave really appreciated it, telling her he didn't feel like working would've been like a slap to the face too, so he just kept quiet and joined the girl, drinking fresh coke from the can.

When Becky stopped, the heap had enough paperwork to pose serious rivalry to the Encantus itself.

It was then he realized how often he'd slipped school in these past days.

"So...", Becky finally said, putting the backpack below the table and turned to Dave who flinched slightly at her sudden attention.

"So, what?", he asked.

"What did I miss?", she helped him, trying not to get annoyed by the clueless look that entered his eyes. "I see that the-world-is-gonna-be-screwed-and-i-had-to-fight-i t look on your face.."  
"Close enough", the male student half-heartedly smiled and tried to put it into words that wouldn't scare the wind out of Becky. Not that he didn't trust her, she'd helped a big deal last month. In fact, they'd all been goners if the girl hadn't disturbed Morgana's spell by tilting that one satellite dish which had taken quite a lot of courage for the heights fearing girl. She was dependable, maybe she could stand the truth. Maybe not. He was willing to try.

"Morgana is back."

For long ten seconds, she didn't utter a word about this. When Dave was sure she wouldn't reply at all, she found her voice again. "You're not serious, are you?"  
"I am..."  
"After all this work..", she said in a kinda sad tone, as if she'd just lost her favorite Beatles-record, staring at her hands and the table plate. She sighed, silence reigned for a minute or two, then she turned to him again, somehow more resolute than before.

"So it was all for nothing? Your efforts? _Our_ efforts? _Me_ climbing up on that _roof-top_ to prevent something I didn't even _see_?"

"N-not all of course, Balthazar managed to capture her again..."

"I see... good for the world", Becky said, sounding tired all of a sudden which made Dave avoid her eyes by a side-glance to the by now empty coke can. He only returned his gaze back to her when she suddenly stood and went to leave.

"Becky, wait!"  
"_Rebecka_", she said, pronouncing it with force. "There's no more Becky."

She was sour now and Dave knew it. Bitter maybe too. And with right. The whole thing was indeed quite frustrating in itself so he couldn't even hold her to it. He followed her to the door, keeping a save distance though as she seemed agitated enough without him pushing her.

"Nor is there an _us_ anymore. I'm sick of this. I just want a normal life you see!", Rebecka continued, opening the door in front of her while speaking, turning around a last time then, staring at Dave with a hateful glare.

"See you tomorrow." With that, she was gone. She had _not_ taken the news very well.

Later that day he received a call from the hospital.

He was sitting on the kitchen table, gently feeling sorry for himself, loathing his life and griefing for his lost love, which he'd pursued for years and lost within a week, when the sudden RING-RING of the telephone made him nearly jump out of his skin.

But contrary to his hopes it wasn't Becky who called, but the hospital. About his uncle who had no health insurance – Dave frowned at that and decided he'd have a word with Balthazar about that – and, as he seemed to be the only relative, if he would pay. Emergency care had been done, as the woman on the other side of the cable claimed, but as he hadn't woken up yet, they were forced to use life-support. Dave confirmed, grinding his teeth, relieving the woman audible.

"Thank goodness.. You don't know how often we're forced to pull the plug these days.."

This somewhat shocked Dave. In fact, he wondered just what kind of people he'd delivered his pal and master to and suddenly he wasn't so surprised anymore as to why the elder avoided hospitals like the plague. Quite a creepy place... had it always been like that?

When the youth hang up the phone, he felt the intensive need for an aspirin. Maybe two. Screw it, he thought and took three. He knew of it's bad side-effects, but his headache hadn't lessened since he woke. He partly blamed Becky for it, for ticking and just leaving.

Otherwise.. could he really blame her?

After all what she'd done for him?

Without asking for anything in return?

And now in vain?

Probably not. It was his fault for involving her into this. But was it..? Confusion was taking over. From stress, from pain, besides, he already felt the numbing effects of the pain-killers clouding his mind. A little sleep would problaby do wonders against his headache. So he laid his arms over the kitchen table, yawning, bedded his head on them and was asleep within seconds.

The youth had deemed himself asleep, yet he found himself at a place he knew. The pent-house of the deceased Drake Stone, who'd left his life by the hands of Hovarth when that one had used the parasite spell on him. Dave knew that the house was empty now, so what was he doing here, standing on it's veranda, looking down on New York City like it was the most normal thing on earth?

"So you came. Good."

The youth turned around to find his friend and master stand behind him, yet a few metres of distance, as he leaned against the building's wall, obviously unscathed which in turn made Dave wonder if he was awake after all. Dreams could be pretty realistic if you took medicine...

But dreaming of Balthazar was something he took as serious side-effects. He decided to go with it and look where the dream would go. The picture of the other seemed sad somehow, reasonable, as Dave could remember him being quite down last time he'd seen him.

"You've grown to become a worthy heir to Merlin, Dave"

Okay, where was that coming from out of the blue? Was his sub-conscious trying to help build his confidence now? Great, he never deemed himself miserable. Now he did. The other nodded, as if Dave had talked, further adding to his uncormfortablity. When he spoke again, Dave wished the figure would just stop talking.

"I'd like to make one last request to you."

This was plain unsettling and Dave really wished to wake up. Now. But that wasn't going to happen, he just knew it by instinct. He waited for Balthazar's image to continue.

"When you awake, the hospital will call you. They will tell you I'm dead."

Dave wanted to protest now, nobody died of broken legs! Not anymore at least! But when he tried to speak, his voice was silent, even as he moved his mouth. This was turning into a freaking nightmare now.

"You need to let go. When I'm gone, you'll be a master yourself... You'll be able to destroy the Grimhold for good and get rid of Morgana once and for all..." With that, the dream image took off the ring of it's right point finger and offered it to Dave. But that one shook his head in disbelieve. This wasn't about apprenticeships or being free of seemingly annoying and torturing training sessions. This wasn't about letting go. If he was to lose his friend, he'd storm over and...

"Dave!", the voice roared, making him jump and look away like a child that'd been found to steal cookies from a jar. "Don't always make me repeat myself. Listen for once! Take the Grimhold and destroy it. Use my ring to enhance your powers. Morgana won't survive this..."

Dave felt desperation and realization boil up. Did the elder want to join his love? Was that it? Why was Dave even considering this, it was a freaking nightmare, but a dream nonetheless, wasn't it?

"No, Dave. It's not. I'm bidding you farewell here.", with that, Balthazar put back on his ring – given it had been denied from his apprentice - then pushed from the wall and turned to walk into the penthouse.

"Wait!", Dave's voice finally worked again, as he stretched out his hand after him.

With that, the sudden ring of the telephone shook Dave up, ripping the dream's folds like a cloth of linen. For a second the youth was consternated and confused, then shock settled in. Hesitanting he took the phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Stutler, we are sorry to tell you that Mr. Blake has passed. My sincerest condulences", the voice on the other side of the line said. The youth heard a crack, indicating the phone hearer he'd just dropped in shock had sustained serious damage now. It got him from his stupor though, made him jump up and out of the door.

He raced the way over to the hospital and reached there within not quite half an hour. The youth didn't care if he was out of breath or looked like a madman right now. He didn't even stop to answer the watchman at the entry, just ran straight on, following a hint of magic he felt. It didn't occur to him that he was aware of the feeling, nor did he care about the learning progress right now, pressing on, the lack of oxygen making him slightly dizzy right now, skipping waiting for the elevator by using the stairs.

When Dave reached the correct feeling floor, he was gasping for air and forced to take a breath for a moment, if he didn't want to risk to faint. A passing-by nurse regarded him with sceptism, actually wanting to scold him for running here. When she noticed the fighting spirit in the youth's eyes though she decided otherwise and went on. Better not mess with the insane, that one probably had broken free of the psychic ward and someone else would take care of it later.

As it turned out, so she found, he didn't need help either. When he stopped panting he'd stormed off again, obviously knowing – or maybe not, she didn't care – where he was going. When she saw him stop in front of a patient's room though she called for security.

Dave finally stopped for good, looking at the door of the room he had left Balthazar in last night. Room 776, ironically. Building a barrier shield around to each side of the floor – out of a reflex to prevent intervention of third-partys – he slowly pushed against the slightly open door, entering the room, just to feel his heart sink.

There he laid. The one who Dave had learned to know and love – in a fatherly way - in a shorter time than anyone had managed him to do. A doctor standing beside the bed, looking gloom when he saw the youth come in. Sadly he shook his head, indicating the worst. The devices had been put off, probably to nullify the beeping noice of the cardiac monitor. Balthazar laid there, as if sleeping, but Dave knew better. He swallowed hard as he came closer, stood beside the bed and looked down on the old man. He didn't even notice the doctor leaving.

/ So you came.. \\, Balthazars voice said in Dave's head, making him barely wince this time.

He wasn't about to let his distress show.

/ Yes \\, he replied, mentally in that matter.

/ Good.. Take the Grimhold from my locker... \\

/ No. \\

/ No? What do you mean, no? \\ The voice sounded somewhat amused.

/ No. I won't take it. \\

/ You're denying a dead man a last wish? \\ This sarcasm...

/ Do it _yourself_! \\

/ Come again? \\

/ I said, come back and protect it yourself! \\

/ Dave... \\

/ No! Listen to _me_. For one freaking time _listen_ to me! \\

He was angry now and knew he was overreacting. But the apprentice couldn't think straight. Desperation settled in and made him blubber out everything coming to his mind.

/ You're still needed here! I'm no Prime Merlinean! Not yet anyway! You can't just leave me you know! I might accidently release Morgana! Besides, Veronica wouldn't want you over there! Not if it means you sacrifice yourself! \\

He didn't feel him anymore now. What Dave felt though was the plasma bolt charging in his hands. If Balthazar wanted to play this game, he'd get it... When the elder finally spoke on, Dave felt his heart skip a beat and his whole body flinched from tension. Instantly the energy left his hands and returned to its natural, peaceful state, leaving a tingling in his fingers.

/ You won't even let me die in peace? \\, the other voice asked, sounding defeated.

/ No! \\, Dave was resolute now.

/ Maybe... you aren't ready yet... Two times you stole my salvation now! Next time I'll take you with me, understood? \\

/ Sure, whatever you say! \\

With that, the dreamlike state dissolved and Dave opened his eyes, confused looking around. It was then he noticed the doctor missing and the heated discussion outside the room. Probably they were wondering where the invisible wall came from...

He looked back at Balthazar who didn't look like anything had changed. But if you looked close enough you could see the flat rising and falling of his chest and a slightly relieved expression in his face. That made Dave wonder if he'd _been_ dead to begin with or just messing with him...

As he left the room, a group of people stood around it. Some irritated, other with pity in their eyes, the doctor pretty outright angry at the wall. When Dave passed them though the barrier gave away and those who had pressed against it fell over like bowling pins.

Dave didn't care. At all. All he wanted now was ...

... a cup of tea, ...

... his bed ...

... and a good _week_ of sleep.

Of course he was denied this. He slept in late, again missing school but he couldn't care less.

Dave felt awful.

The aspirin had stopped working and now he had the hang-over of the year. In fact, he might've been to a disco instead and could've returned home drunk with all the amnesia action involved. Instead, he felt sick to the core. His headache had returned with interest and made him despise the idea of _ever_ getting up again. To make things worse, he was hungry. And sick. In conclusion, if he'd solve one problem, he'd have another. So he decided to stay down, rolling into the covers once again with a sigh, squinting his eyes shut against the invading light.

Later this noon, when the young apprentice finally found the power to leave the bed – still looking like a descendant of hell itself – the first thing he noticed on the kitchen table was the sprawled out _New York Times_, no specific page at first glance. So Dave ignored it for now, turning to the fridge, taking out a coke and opening it with a whizz, feeling it's cool, prickly liquid flowing down his throat and then stared to nowhere in particular, collecting his senses and getting awake for real now. He really tried.

When he was feeling more like himself, he turned his attention back to the newspapers. His roommate must've placed it there, even if it was quite unusual for him to actually buy this stuff... Bennet even marked something with red there.. was he supposed to see anything special..?

Squinting at the article's title, Dave felt his mouth fall open on it's own accord.  
He started reading..

BIBLE COMING TRUE! RESURRECTION OF A CLINICAL DEAD MAN IN THE LENOX HILL HOSPITAL, NY

_Yesterday night a miracle happened in Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, Manhatten. _

_Earlier this day, an ambulance delivered a man in his late thirties, both legs shattered beyond repair, completely unresponsive. EKG checks found irregular heart-beat. Later that night, the man died of heart-failure, the only relative was informed._

_The actual miracle happened in the early morning hours. The man, who'd been declared dead by then, came back to life and even stood up on his own, releasing himself on own responsibility. He left the hospital half an hour later, walking on the originally destroyed legs, and never was seen again. _

_Will we ever stop wondering about the miracles of life? Maybe there's more to the bible than we ever dreamed for. Will other dead return soon, too? Nobody can say..._

"Made it into the _New York Times_.. Nice.", someone said behind Dave, scaring him enough to throw up his arms as he jumped up in shock and turned around in a whirl. Nobody else than the mentioned man stood behind him, looking at Dave first impassively, then with a smirk.  
"Balthazar!", realization finally sank in, then the youth felt anger rising. "Do you have to pull a show each freaking time? What happened to 'Keeping the non-magic folk clueless'?"

"Nothing. I just didn't feel like staying there."

"And what about 'Healing yourself is a no-no'?"  
"Not sure where you got it... but I'm a pretty decent healer actually."

Dave wasn't sure to say about that. His shoulders slumped and he gave it a sigh. It was too early for this... A side-glance to the wall clock told him otherwise though. Five past one in the afternoon. This kept getting better and better. Another sigh, then he looked at his master again. That one had used the time to lean against the fridge and watched his apprentice half sceptic, half bored.

"Now. Tell me, why you just _had_ to drag me back."

This simple order snapped Dave's train of thought and he glanced away. "Did you really want to die?", he asked instead of answering, trying to reestablish eye-contact, and hold it.

"If you need to know this, yes, I want to leave the world after thirteen times a sorcerer's and sixteen times of a normal human's lifespan. And I still think you'd be able to fend for yourself. You are no ordinary sorcerer, David, you are the Pr-..."

"Prime Merlinean, I know, damn! But I'm human too! I don't like to lose my friends."  
"Nobody does, Dave. But master and apprentice can't stay together forever you know."  
"_Not even_ _half a year_ isn't 'forever'!"

"So what? Do you think there's anything I can teach you what doesn't involve you reading the Encantus? All you've got left is studying. And you wouldn't need me for it."  
"Do _you_ think it's all about training and sorcery for me?"

"It should be, yes."  
"Well, big news, we're _friends_! And I'm not about to leave a depressed friend to his fate."

With that, silence made it's big return in a glorious speechless way. Dave just plainly stared at Balthazar, who in turn looked thoughtful into the distance. A few seconds later he turned his attention at the still glaring apprentice again, who remained silent, probably waiting.

"While we're talking about depression", he started to walk around in the kitchen, like a caged tiger, focussing on Dave, who felt like a lamb put into the same deadly prison.

"What's with Becky, erm, Rebecka?"

That truly shocked the youth and he, again, averted his gaze, finding interest in the floor all of a sudden. The fact that the older one had corrected the name so suddenly must have meant that he knew. Lieing would be in vain. So Dave tried something totally new; he told the truth.

"Nothing"  
"You're still a bad liar, Dave. So she ran off after hearing what happened."  
"Yeah..."  
"Do you still love her?"

A silent nod.

"I see. If I help you to get her back, can I go afterwards?"

Now Dave really stared at him. He wasn't serious, was he?

"What's so bad about staying alive?"  
"Nothing. Beside the fact that I've outstayed my welcome on this god-forsaken planet. While you can go and fix your little fight with the girl you love, mine waits in front of the afterlife's gates."

"Can't we get her..?"  
"Back? No, I'm afraid without a body it wouldn't work out. And as we are no Morganeans we won't go and take an innocent girl's body just to revive a soul who'd probably be quite happy to leave the world."

He did know how much it'd hurt Veronica to hear him say this, but essentially he was right. She hadn't been happy in the new world and if they could spend eternity together in Garden Eden it'd be a blessing.

"Besides. You didn't answer my question. I can help you to get Becky back, don't worry about that. All I ask is for you to look away when I pass over. Deal?"  
"... so you basically ask me to choose between you and Becky? Is that right?"  
"No. I ask you to let me go as I'm damn sick of this world."  
"You really want to die?"  
"Deal?"  
"Like, really really?"  
"Dave. Stop this nonsense."

The youth swallowed hard, looked away uncertainly, sighed, glanced again at his master who offered him a hand, still waiting for Dave's answer. It didn't take much to see the tired look in the older sorcerer's eyes. More than simply sleepy, more like exhausted of a whole life.

"If you really can't stay with me...", Dave said, mustering all overcoming-powers, "..then deal..."

Even when he felt tears well up behind his eyes he took offered the hand and sealed the deadly deal.

"Wood is vulnerable against fire. What will happen, if we put enchanted wood into fire, Dave?"  
"It... will burn?"  
"No. But this will."  
"ARGH! What'd you do that for?!"  
"No reason."

Dave glared at Balthazar. They were in the subway turnaround again, with Dave standing in the renovated Merlin's Circle, Balthazar circling around it in slow, well chosen steps, watching his apprentice who rubbed his singed backside, which had been hit by a flame just now. Punishment for stupid answers!

"Now. Let's try this again. What will happen, if we tried to burn the Grimhold?"  
"It.. won't burn, right?"  
"Yes."  
"It might defend itself?"  
"Damn right!"  
"OWW! You're doing this on PURPOSE!"  
"Defend yourself, a real enemy wouldn't just sing but roast you."  
"Give me a break!"  
"Maybe later. So, if an enchanted object defends itself, what does that mean to the sorcerer who attacked it?"

"The spell might turn against the caster."

As Balthazar raised a hand, seemingly preparing another attack, Dave raised both of his and errected a barrier shield, a victorious smile on his lips. "Not this time, Balthazar!"

Wrong. A sadistic smile graced the other's lips.

Dave felt it between his legs before he realized his master had even moved to touch the ground. The same stone he usually walked over had formed a nice fist and buried itself into his crotch, throwing the youth off his legs and effectively breaking the barrier, making him squirm and wind on the ground.

"Very original, no, really!", he whined, biting his tongue in an effort of not starting to cry from pain.

"An enemy would've stabbed you."  
"From that angle?"  
"Yep."  
"Gross!"

"Indeed. Now get up, we haven't got all day."

Dave obliged, even if he had serious doubts about being able to walk straight for a while. His master resumed on his circling way, like a tiger stalking it's prey.

"So an enchanted object can't be destroyed by magic, except if the sorcerer is more powerful than the one who enchanted the object. How do we get rid of such an obstacle?"  
"With raw brutality?"  
"Exactly!", Balthazar's sudden turn to face Dave made the youth cringe on reflex. But this time, the attack didn't come. The elder sorcerer just went on around the circle.

"Except there's nothing on this world which could break an enchanted object. It would survive two planets colliding with it between them. We need to remove the enchantment. So, what risk do we take if we do that?"

"Morgana could escape the Grimhold"  
"And furthermore?"  
"We couldn't catch her again.."  
"Only if?"  
"If we'd re-enchant the object!"  
"Exactly! So. Let's see if you were paying attention. Tell me what we need to do."  
"Remove the spell that's protecting the Grimhold."  
"Yes."  
"Fight Morgana if she breaks out?" A plasma bolt hit his backside. "Erm, burn the Grimhold?"

"Correct answer. And then?"

"Dave. What do we do with the ashes?"  
"Spread it so nobody can revert the damage?"  
"Indeed. That's the plan. You've done well.", the master sorcerer said, raising a hand – Dave flinched again, prepared for anything that'd fly at him by this point -, his ring glowed for a moment, then the apprentice felt all pain vanish, even his ripped clothes had been repaired. Even though, the youth sunk to the ground, feeling tired and exhausted at the same time. His master summoned a chair and sat on that one, legs crossed. "The only problem is; how do we remove a millenia old enchantment? It was made to last for eternity. I doubt the usual breakdown-spells will be useful."

"What if we do it together?"  
"Dave. Common sense. If two sorcerers were enough to break the Grimhold's spell, don't you think Hovarth had cracked it open long before we'd even know he would?"

"Y-Yes, I guess so.."  
"Besides. Two never was the magical number. It'd have to be three, but that won't work out. Hovarth has no obligations to help us, beside the fact that we don't know his location to ask him. Besides us, there are not many sorcerers left, giving us no alternatives."

Unspoken were the words 'if Veronica was still here' but Dave could see it in his companions eyes. An incredibly sad expression flickered there for a second before they became impassive again.

"But essentially you're right. We need help though. I know someone who might be able to support us, but he lives deep in the russian woods"

"Quite a trip.."  
"Indeed. Go home and pack your suitcase, training is done for today."

"Figured. Should I call you when I'm ready?"  
"No. Just be ready in an hour."  
"Aw man..!"  
"Hurry Dave, time is running!"

So was Dave when he ended the sentence. The youth jumped up and stormed the stairs, gone out of sight within the minute. Balthazar smiled silently as he watched the younger one leave. If he'd even register he'd left his Encantus here? The master sorcerer raised, walked over to the table and folded the mighty book to a smaller version of it, putting it into his side pocket before slipping into the trenchcoat and starting to gather the few belongings of his.


	3. Chapter 3

The next hours went by like in flight, even if they used the _Phantom_ this time.

The whole drive through none of the two sorcerers said a word. Both were caught in their own thoughts; in fact, both thought of the persons they left behind, even if it was for a short time only.

Even as Dave looked up for a moment and gave the driver of the Phantom a side-glance, he could see the far-away look in the person's face and discarded any idea of starting a talk.

When they reached the airport the elder sorcerer and his apprentice left the vehicle and got their suitcases out, before Balthazar casted a shrinking spell on the Phantom, effectively reducing its size to that of a toy. Putting that one into his side pocket he motioned Dave to follow him. The boy obliged in silence, still thinking. Not only about Becky, but also who this mysterious person they were visiting could be. And why hadn't he heard about the person earlier..?

As it turned out, Balthazar had planned this for a while. For how long, Dave only could guess. But seeing that the older one had two tickets to russia, he either had planned it beforehand or ... he didn't, did he? Knowing Balthazar he probably hadn't really bought the tickets. It was just like him to pull them out of his sleeve from nowhere.. Dave decided against saying anything. At least for now. He wasn't about to play the moral apostel concerning fake tickets that looked deceptively real to the normal human's eye. Caught in his mind's spiderwebs Dave didn't notice he was talked to by the reception lady, until she nearly screamed at him, making his mental thread rip.

"Eh, sorry Miss!"  
"No problem. Please put your suitcase on the moving walkaway and go through the passage to the right.", she repeated with the patience of an angle. Dave obliged and put the large thing on said treadmill, seeing his belongings vanish behind the curtain. He'd see it again when they reached russia. He sure hoped so! A lot of baggage vanished these days and wasn't seen again. Ever!  
Pressing back the grim thoughts he followed Balthazar – who had close to nothing with him – through the security check.

Truth to be told, there were a few slight problems. In contrary to Dave's expectations, the scanner didn't make as much as a sound when his master passed through, taken in account ten metallic rings and a whole car. He just went through and nothing happened. Just when the youth was about to report the whole thing defect, it gave a deafening alarm sound just as Dave stepped through it.

When he was asked if he had any weapons with him, he felt tempted to say something about the ring, but decided against it for they'd put him into a mental institute and he knew they would, his parents had done so ten years ago just because of the freaking Arcana Cabana incidence!

Grumbling the youth put his ring onto the treadmill and walked through the scanner without a problem this time, giving his master a questioning glare when he reached the other side and put back on his ring with more power than necessary.

"How did you..?"  
"Let's discuss it later."  
"H-hey, wait!"

With that, the elder sorcerer went on, followed by the hurrying apprentice.

Balthazar led the younger sorcerer to the waiting hall where he, with a sigh, sank down on one of the benches close to the windows. They'd have some time left until their flight was on so there was time for a little break.

"Now tell me please! What was that back there?"  
"What do you mean?"

"You know _exactly_ what I mean!"

"Come again?"  
"Why did the freaking scanner _ignore_ you?"

"Those _security scanners_ are vulnerable against foreign magnetic fields. In other words, if you'd used a barrier when passing through, it wouldn't have detected you. _Common sense_, Dave!"

There he went again, treating him like a child.. As much as Dave wanted to shove Balthazar in front of a starting air plane right now, as relieved was he. If the elder had the nerves to kid him again, he wasn't as depressed as Dave had feared. Or he was damn well with hiding it!

With a 'hrumph' the youth turned to the windows, watching as one of the planes lifted from the ground to touch the sky. Sorcery or not, those maschines had their very own magic if you thought about it. Huge steel birds, flying around with ease, controlled by merely two human pilots, carrying a whole lot of passengers from A to B. Daily, repeatedly, usually reliable.

This inevitably led him to the steel eagle again. Finally doubts settled in. The thing had carried him and Becky to France in not quite a few hours, why couldn't it make the route to russia then? The way wasn't that much farther...

"It's about focus, Dave.", Balthazar invaded his thoughts, making the youth jump. "Neither of us has the concentration to keep the eagle flying. We inevitably crash and that'd be as much about us."

"That may be true, but..."  
"Besides, travelling by plane has much more _class_"  
"But..!"  
"_And_, you know, magic isn't the answer to each and everything. At least you should, otherwise I failed you. Or you didn't listen to me the whole time."  
"Say..!"

"What?"

Dave submitted with a low moan. "Nevermind... How long till we need to go?"

"Just about ten minutes, let's wait for the announcement."

"You're not doing this for the first time, do you?", Dave felt the need to ask that, as Balthazar was exceptionally well informed for a man who was even older than the first plane ever built. Of course, the question was superfluous. The silence was unsettling though so the youth just asked.

"What do you think? Do you think I've travelled the past 1300 years on animated objects' backs?"  
"Eh, yes. Kinda like that, yes."  
"Sorry to disappoint you, but since_Sikorsky Ilja Muromez__'_s virgin flight in 1914 I never had the urge to fly by myself again. It's just not worth it. Even if the first planes were _a lot less _comfortable than the steel eagle today is.."

"Must've been pretty rough rides then.."  
"Exactly."

They went on about the past for a while, when finally their flight was announced. Passengers were to join as fast as possible. The announcement was repeated in like five different languages before the speakers became quiet again. The two sorcerers didn't wait for that long though. Passing over the tickets to the personal at Terminal 3, going through the long tunnel and stepping directly inside the plane afterwards, there really wasn't anything worth mentioning.

Their seats were located at the end of the terrible long and obviously popular flight vehicle. A lot of passengers were staring after the strange couple as they walked between the rows, Dave trying to ignore them and Balthazar oblivious (as he was probably used) to it.

As they finally sat down, the first thing Dave found was a little spider sitting in the corner above their heads. He frowned a little, but didn't say a thing. Never look a gifted horse in the mouth as they say! The youth leaned back and looked at the window, only to find their seats had no access to a such. Alright then. A look at his seat neighboor told him that that one was better prepared for the trip, as he took out his reading glasses, placed them where they belonged and fumbled for something on his coat's side pocket before said coat was folded neatly and placed in the luggage desk. It was then Dave noticed what exactly Balthazar had taken out.

"Is that what I think it is?", the boy whispered, looking at the book that got bigger by each passing unfolding and earning a sceptic look of the other.  
"What do you think, Dave?"

"I think you brought.. the _book_..", Dave whispered on, not noticing the annoyed twitch of the elder's eyebrow.

"Obviously, no? And stop whispering."  
"Why?"

Again with the whispering tone! Listening to that was tiring. Especially since his talk-partner didn't even look at him while whispering, so half the words didn't reach his ears. Still, the elder tried to keep calm. For now.

"Do you need a reason for each and everything?"  
"Just curious.. you usually don't read-..."

/ It is _yours_, for your information.\\, Balthazars voice suddenly roared in Dave's head, making him flinch and fall back with a bad and utterly vengeful migraine, moaning slightly. But the headache went on, practically ranting at him. / The one thing you did not pack so your master had to think of it for you. And the first thing I get is '_why_'... \\

"I'm sorry okay?", Dave replied, less whispering but still keeping his voice low-levelled.  
"Here", the older Merlinean said a lot calmer, giving Dave the now a lot heavier book.

"Page 279. Read the whole chapter. In an hour I'll expect you to know how to heal werewolves and vampires alike."

"An hour? Just how long is the chapter?"  
"Just a few pages..", Balthazar said, taking off the glasses again and leaning back, seatbelt clicking so he didn't have to wake for it, closing his eyes for a quick nap. According to the slow breath a few minutes later he'd drifted off into a deep sleep instead though.

Dave watched him for a moment, then he went on with the chapter _Werewolves and how to talk to them. _The young apprentice wouldn't have thought you actually could talk to those beasts. But like many things in life, Hollywood had over-dramatised simple facts.

There _were_ wolf-men in the outer parts of Ukraine, China and Russia, but neither of them would attack humans without a good reason. Transforming on full moon nights was fiction, too. They lived in tribes, keeping far off human settlements and towns, leading the lifestyle of native americans.

The only problem was supposed to be the language of theirs, which included a lot of growling and whimpering sounds. According to the Encantus, werewolves also were vulnerable against high-pitched sounds. Dave felt reminded of Tank, who absolutely hated sirens and howled when the sound pierced his ears.

He further learned of a special virus that only infected werewolves, turning them into mindless predators who indeed went and attacked every living thing, that probably being the foundation of the legends. Healing of that state was possible by death only. On contrary to the popular believe, they weren't invincible. Normal hunting methods worked for them, the Encantus even mentioned a few of them had died due to food poisoning.

The plane began to rumble and a sudden jump in his stomach made Dave irritated look up. The stewardess was explaining the security measures and the importance of oxygen mask and swim wests while the plane rolled over the field, trying to get enough speed to lift. She wasn't particular beautiful, but neither ugly. A perfectly normal face with a healthy figure. Dave suddenly missed Becky more than he thought he would. Soon he'd be miles from home, probably in some outskirts of a land he didn't know beside from geography courses. Finally the stewardess ended her explaination and vanished behind a curtain, making room for silence again. Then the plane finally raised from the ground, leaving behind everything Dave had learned to know. He turned to the Encantus again. After werewolves, vampires proved more difficult.

In ancient times, they were believed to be walking dead, who came at night and sucked the blood of innocent maidens. Their companions were wolves and they could transform into mist, bats and wolves alike. Supposedly they only could be killed when sleeping in their coffin by putting a stake through their heart muscles.

In reality, vampires were everything but undead. In fact, they were pretty pitiable humans, with a rare blood disease that forced them to regulary transfer blood from other people. Ancient vampires had thought drinking the blood could save them, effectively thinning out the blood lines of the major clans until only one was left, somewhere in outer Transilvania. This blood disease slowed aging as well, which made the usual folk, who rarely reached past thirty years in their time, believe them to be immortal.

Healing the disease tended to be difficult if not impossible at all, even nowadays with the advanced knowledge in modern medicine. It could be acquired by infusing blood of a pure, virgin maiden, which explained the obsession of the ancient blood suckers with said women.

Dave closed the Encantus with a sigh, head whirring with the new information. Actually, he wondered why he even wondered about it. He'd fought a dragon, the man beside him was an ancient sorcerer, who could ride on steel eagles, he himself was supposed to be the Prime Merlinean (the youth still didn't really believe in it) and right now they were on a quest to eliminate the ancient witch he was supposed to have killed not long ago but returned like in a bad movie.

The youth looked up and around in the cabin. Many, if not most people, had settled and slept by now, while others, preferably kids, tended to themselves, talking silently or playing with handhelds. Somewhere the name _Veronica _fell, making him flinch and look around. Of course, the name had gotten popular these days.. it had to. He found his master sleep-talking, moving the lips without really saying anything aloud. The youth swayed between waking him and just letting him dream whatever he saw.

It would be a while until they'd land, even if his inner clock seemed to lose its touch if his eyes

weren't glued on a clock. Besides, Russia lied in a different time zone anyway, the jet lag would be horrible – from what he'd heard – so the young man decided to sleep a while himself. This wasn't as hard as expected, the second he closes his eyes he was fast asleep, sunken into the seat.

When Balthazar woke, he noticed something was off.

First of all, he felt like moving, which was totally unreasonable if you're sitting.

Secondly, the air was one big muff. The lack of oxygen made getting awake actually hard. Reality started to crawl back into his mind though, reminding him where he, better they, were and why.

He stiffled a groan, as his dream had proven to be just a such.

Then there was this; a warm feeling on his right shoulder.

His head turned slowly, just to find his apprentice, sleeping, snuggled up to him like a child – or a puppy in that matter, he'd have to keep the reference for teasing -, the Encantus closed and a sense of bliss on the boy's face. One might find it cute, the millenia old sorcerer did not.

"Dave", he whispered in the youth's ear, whereupon it got sluggishly rubbed by a sleepy hand, until that one sank back to it's previous position on the boy's lap.

"Mr. Stutler..", Balthazar tried again, this time a bit louder and with a cooing tone to his voice.

A low moan and some inaudible words were consequence and reply in one dragged-out sound.

/ If you don't wake up, I'll put you outside to let some air into your head! \\

That was when Dave shot up vertically, obviously disoriented and confused looking around, stiffling a yawn and losing the match with grace and had just enough time to save some of his dignitiy by putting up a hand when the brain collected its extra-portion oxygen. Not enough it seemed, as the stupored look on his face remained.

"So, where are we? Are we there yet?", he asked, earning a scowl by his seat neighbour.  
"Yes, but I decided we stay in the plane until it flies back.", came the answer, shocking him.  
"W-what?"  
"If you'd wake up for just a moment you'd realize I have no way of telling you where, or in that particular case, when we are."

"Ah.. of course.. sorry!"  
"We must be a quarter of the way by now", the elder said, pulling back his right sleeve to watch on the watch. "We've been flying for 4 hours now.."  
"Ah, alright.. wait, what?"

Dave's over-evolved brain automatically had calculated the total time, if 4 hours were equal to around a quarter. He felt stupid for not realizing sooner though. From America to Russia, of course it would take around 12 hours... maybe even longer. One more reason to take the eagle next time!

"Go on, I'm waiting."

Balthazar's voice cut through his train of thoughts, making him as confused as before. "Huh?"  
"Vampires and Werewolves. Tell me about them."  
"A-aloud?"  
"If you can stop half-screaming like this, yes."  
"But I thought I shouldn't whis-..."  
"Indeed. But if you keep up that volume they'll throw us out mid-way for scaring the other passengers out of their minds."  
"I know that! Huh.. what?" Throwing them out in mid-air?!  
"Don't switch the topic, Dave."

The apprentice resigned and started to re-tell ("In your own words!") what he'd read. Questions like "Why don't they join the folk?" were either answered or ignored completely, while the other just listened to the retelling. Here and there Balthazar corrected Dave when the youth had gotten something wrong or thought over it and came to a wrong conclusion.

Vampires seemed more logical to the boy. His master had to correct him a lot less often than on werewolves. In fact, Dave proved to be a walking talking encyclopedia on vampires who even knew stuff not found in the Encantus (even if Hollywood had taught him unknowingly some true facts)!

When the youth had ended, Balthazar nodded approvingly.

"Good Job. Any idea why you should learn this?"

"Erm.. maybe.. because we might run into those creatures?"  
"'Those creatures' might tell you a word or two if you ever address to them this unrespecting in their presence, Dave. Keep that in mind."  
"You know what I mean!"  
"Yes and yes. It's quite possible there's a clan of werewolves in Russia. Not sure about vampires, but won't hurt you to know."

"This acquaintance of yours, is he a vampire?"  
"Why would you think that?"  
"Because you never give me senseless stuff."  
"Good. You finally noticed."  
"So is he?"  
"_She_ is indeed a vampire, good observed. Don't worry though, she's a veganian."  
"A _vegan_ vampire?"  
"Psht, down with that loud voice of yours!"

"Sorry..! How can a vampire live from just fruit?"  
"Just like any other person. Don't forget, they're perfectly normal actually."  
"Ah, right..."  
"Besides, she stopped sucking blood about one hundred years ago.."

Dave just stared at Balthazar for this seemingly innocent comment. One second the older says vampires were like everyone else, the next he says such creepy stuff... Sometimes the youth felt like he didn't understand his friend. At all. For Balthazar the conversation seemed over, as he left it at that. Dave leaned back again, trying to process the new information. So they were supposedly visiting a vampire, a perfectly normal person with a rare blood disease, who is vegan and stopped sucking blood 100 years ago. Supposedly. But one question practically burned under his nails.

"Any chance she might fall back into old habits?"  
"Sure. That can happen to anybody after all."  
"Oh.. okay I guess.. what if that happens and she tries to suck us dry?"  
"This won't happen, Dave."  
"Why're you so sure?"  
"You'll see when you meet her."  
"Ah..ha.."  
"Not convinced? You may wait in the hotel if you're scared.."  
"No, thanks.." Actually he'd wanted to say "and leave you alone? Dream on!" ... but decided against it in the last second. He didn't want Balthazar to think he didn't trust him. Trying to switch the topic, he went on.

"How did you meet a vampire of all?"  
"Long story, Dave. Very long and even more gory."

"I think I can take a little blood!"  
"It's more than just 'a little'. Maybe later, yes?"  
"Still tired, _old man_?"  
"Who're you calling old man?" The elder gave it a smirk, indicating he hadn't taken it seriously. "Though you're probably right, I _am_ old."

The weird tone Balthazar used troubed Dave. Unsettled he watched as the older sorcerer leaned back into the seat, closing his eyes with a decent snort, ending their conversation. According to the settling down atmosphere in the plane and the dimming lights it was pretty late anyway. So Dave did the same, sinking into a dreamless sleep once again.

Next time Dave woke, it was the stewardess, gently shaking his shoulder. In fact, he'd been half-awake before that, suddenly missing the comforting warmth he leaned against while sleeping, and now he felt like a train had entered through one ear and left through the other, leaving a nice mess in the middle of his head. The plane had already landed, obviously without crashing. As he could see, he and the stewardess were the last persons on board.

Wait, what?

He looked around, searching for something like a black clothed figure standing around waiting, glaring at him for over-sleeping. When he didn't find anything like it he turned to the friendly women who seemed to guess his question and read his hasty looks.

"Your father is waiting outside. We need to clean the room for the next flight. Please leave the plane", she said in a sugar-coated voice, effectively making Dave discard all thoughts of refusal. Nearly instantly he stood up – smashed his head on the low baggage desk in the process – and followed the stewardess outside, where Balthazar waited, leaning backwards against the outside of the bus, which was filled with countless protesting passengers some of them cursing in other languages or pointing at a watch, not willing to wait for one single person. According to their tones some were ready to report this blatant injustice but the bus driver said something Dave couldn't make out from this distance and the noise got quieter instantly.

Dave had to go to the bus alone, as the stewardess went back inside the second he was down the steps, leading from the plane's high positioned floor to the ground. The young sorcerer joined his waiting friend and master, surprisingly without getting a pun this time, and both of them finally entered the bus, found each a seat and heard the engine rumble before the doors closed and the bus took them to the airport's building.

"So this is Russia", Dave finally said, talking half to himself and half to Balthazar, who was lost in his own thoughts and didn't quite catch the comment, so no reply was supplied to Dave, who in turn wouldn't have registered one, as he watched wide-eyed how another plane rose to the skies while they were riding the bus.

"It's amazing, isn't it?", he said, again expecting no answer.

"Russia is just like any other country, Dave"

"Why?"  
"The language is different, but that's the same for every country. The only thing making Russia special is the low population density. 8 people per sqare kilometre in fact."

"I see.. so we're unlikely to meet anyone by luck here.."

"Exactly. Another thing, Dave."  
"Yes?"  
"Close your mouth. It's gaping."

It was just as Balthazar had suggested.

At least for Russia's airport, the process was the same as in America. They went through security – Dave by now _theoretically_ knew how to do the trick with the scanner but failed horribly, while his master, again, went on unnoticed – and finally stood in front of Moskau-Ostafjewo airport's entrance. A long cemented way lead to the street and as both of them weren't willing to walk the distance ("You technically _could_ walk, but it takes weeks if not _months_ to get there. We're taking the _Phantom_." "No objections!"), they went there and a while along it, until they were outside of prying eyes sight.

They were in the middle between two fields where Balthazar stopped, taking a final glance around to prevent unneccessary witnesses. Since they were alone he fished in his trenchcoat and pulled out the model-sized Phantom, set it gently on the asphalt and gave it a stroke, before he stepped back and shoved Dave with him. The car grew back to its normal size within seconds and growled a bit, signaling its readiness, as the shrink spell was lifted for good.

"Get in, Dave. Let's get this over with."  
"A-alright then.."  
"What's with the stuttering?"  
"N-nothing."

"I see. If it's nothing, then come."

The car moaned slightly as the sorcerers packed their belongings into the trunk, seemingly still sleepy from resting for so long in it's suspended state, only to purr when its owner sat behind the steering wheel and took a grip on its leather coat. Dave had settled already when Balthazar entered and the doors closed.

"Alright baby, take us to Armatha Doshinski now", the master said, finally revealing the vampiress' name and making Dave flinch slightly. He'd heard the name somewhere... but where? This would keep him busy for the next hours of sheer endless fields and wilderness.

When the car stopped and Dave looked up, he found nothing else surrounding them but one large empty landscape, maybe a tree here and there and some bigger and smaller rocks, but generally told this was pure wilderness. Russia was known for it, sure, but why'd they hold here?  
"I got good news and bad news", Balthazar claimed, capturing his apprentice's attention.

"The good one is, you're getting your walk after all!"

Dave stared at his master, mouth half open. So he _was_ insane after all! Who said he wanted to walk through this god-forsaken taiga? "And the bad news?", he managed a half-way calm tone, hiding the anxiousness he felt when he thought back to what warnings he'd read in the Encantus.

"We're out of fuel.", was the bad news, brilliantly told in a tone that betrayed more agitation about the simple fact than the circumstance that they'd be walking whatever distance was left.

"And before you ask, yes, even an enchanted car needs something to burn. It's not too far though, we'll be there by morning."

"We'll be sleeping out here?"  
"No. I'll tell the stones to build a home for us."  
"Really? Great th-.."  
"Not."  
"Oh."

With that, the elder shooed his apprentice out of the car again, left it himself and gave it a nice long stroke and apologized beforehand, then started pressing slightly on its rooftop, shrinking the _Phantom_ (with their baggage) to toy size once again. It was in his pocket just as swift.

"We'll take it with us. I can't trust this country's people to leave it alone."  
"That's really your only concern?"

"Should there be more? Come now, we need to keep moving before the dire bears come and try to eat us."  
"Dire..!?"

Before Dave could ask further, Balthazar had moved on already, just waiting a few steps ahead for him. "Move it, Dave, or I'll leave you here!"

As they went on, the sun made its circle over the firmament, lighting their way and warming their backs. When evening drew closer though, Dave swore he could hear a pack of wolves somewhere nearby. He really wasn't afraid of wolves. Not even of an east-european, wild, probably hungry pack that didn't fear human as much as their western relatives did. In fact, russian wolves were said to be the most fearsome of their species... and the _biggest_..

And what was that about dire bears? He'd have a word with his biology professor about it if they really encountered such. Maybe he should take the skin home to prove it? Selling the bears skin before it's caught, bright idea!

The closer the day's end drew the closer the wolves' howling seemed to be. Dave tried to get a look to his companion's eyes, but that one wasn't the least bit concerned it seemed, just staring straight forwards.

Big deal, Dave thought, He probably couldn't care less if the wolves ate him! Balthazar _wants_ to die anyway! As soon as he'd thought that thought, he felt bad for it already.

When he heard a wolf growl really close-by this time, Dave jumped and found himself back to back with his master who kept an eye – or both in that matter – on the enviroment, his trademark ring glowing, ready for a fight to the death. Please not death!, Dave prayed silently, then though he forced himself to snap out of it and readied himself, charging a plasma bolt in his right hand to prevent nasty surprises.

They were surrounded by high hills and trees. Rocks looked like predators. Every sound made the youth flinch. The growling came closer, a second one adding to it, a third one.  
"Dave", Balthazar suddenly said, making him jump hard.

"Yeah?"  
"When I say 'run' you will do your damnest best to reach the forest. I'll keep them off your heels."  
"What are you talking about? I'll stay right here!"  
"No use if we both get eaten. Besides, I'm not planning to die."  
"Not sure about that!"  
"Come again?"  
"Nevermind.. But I won't leave without you!"  
"Alright then. The pack will attack all at once. We'll take out the alpha and make a run for it while the pack is confused. Questions?"  
"How do we find the alpha?"  
"It's the first attacking wolf."

"Who says we want to attack?"

The third voice belonged to something big, black which stepped out of the shadows. The pointed ears perked up, the eyes gleaming red, an ugly scar diagonally over the long face with the sharp snout, a huge creature with long legs and wild fur; a wolf. A speaking one at that. As he spoke, his pack closed in further, revealing like twenty members, all likewise huge.

"Maybe we just want to play fetch?"  
"So you can talk. Good. We just want to pass here", Balthazar tried to Dave's shock. The elder was actually reasoning with a blood-thirsty beast, just like that!

"Pass? Oh, I'm afraid I can't let you. You see, this scar itches every full moon. It tells me to kill the one who created it. I will kill you. Reasonable, isn't it?"

It's paws stepped closer and the ring of packmembers shrinked. Dave was half about to give those huge dogs a taste of his plasma bolts, when he felt his master's touch to his right wrist. / Not yet. \\ The bolts died in the apprentice's hands, leaving the youth confused.

"Let my apprentice go at least, then we'll fight one on one."

Dave flinched at that and was about to protest, but then the wolf replied.

"Did you spare my cub? I don't think so."

"You threw it into my attack!"

"You aimed at my son. And now we will eat", the wolf said, then turned to his pack and gave it a bone-shuddering howl, whereupon the members went in with deafening growls. When the first of them were close enough, their attacks reflected by the sorcerers' force field, errected on sheer reflex, its strength feeding from both, apprentice and master, and being quite effective as it seemed.

The scarred leader barked, the pack broke it's formation and scattered, attacking from different angles now, giving jowls whenever one of them was repelled with a spark.

After a while of this going, Balthazar turned his head slightly to Dave, who didn't look that good, was panting and struggled to stand straight. The master narrowed his eyes. This wouldn't end well.  
"Dave, are you okay?"

"Sure...", the youth said between two gasps.

"Listen. And listen good this time."  
"No!"  
"What no? You won't even listen?"  
"I won't run away alone!"  
"You're not supposed to" The elder nodded in the direction of the forest, cofusing his companion. "If you run straight on you will find a small hut. Armatha will be there. Go get her. Only she can stop this madness!"

"But, they won't even let me out of here, much less get away!"  
"Right.. Let's fix that first.."

With that, Balthazar half faced his apprentice, one arm still stretched out to keep up the shield, touching the youth with the other hand, murmuring something said one couldn't quite understand. As the spell started working, Dave felt himself _vanishing_. Every molecule in his body shrinked to nothingness by each heartbeat, at least it felt like it! He was about to ask what this was about, when he noticed his hands becoming invisible, which spread to the arms and then slowly took his whole body. With it went the sense of touch, slightly chilling him.

"Now go", he heard Balthazar say, then nodded – feeling stupid the next second as he realized the gesture wasn't visible, so he hastily added a "Don't die!", replied by nothing but a silent nod – before he ran through the shield, which let him pass easily, sprinted past the wolves which didn't seem to see him, then went straight to the forest. When Dave was out of sight, Balthazar sighed relieved, then turned to the leader wolf. "Retreat.", the master simply said.

"You dare to order me around?"

"Your pack will die if you don't."

"How long can you keep the shield up on your own, hmm? When it breaks down, it's over for you, senile wizard."

As the shield finally broke, the pack took formation once again, encircling the sorcerer, going at him with a triumphating howl. Their target kept very calm though, arms lowered to both sides of his body. The last thing the wolves would ever see was flames shooting out of the frozen ground, enclosing everything in a huge blaze as he raised his hands in one swift gesture.

Dave ran. His damaged time feeling told him he'd been away for at least ten minutes now, even if he knew that couldn't be the case. He'd never had stamina to begin with, making him ultimatively the worst athlete at university.

To make matters worse; his legs hurt, but he didn't care. He had to find this hut, fast! Up until now the only stuff he found was an empty cave, more forest, another cave (that one inhabitated by a grumbling bear), then a lot of nothingness and trees and finally just more trees! The pathway below his feet offered as much help as a board with needles, poking him with sharp stones, even through the thick gum shoe soles – Dave didn't even want to start to imagine how awkward running in _pointed_ shoes would be -, and ended in a whole lot of bushes. No hut anywhere... Cold panic settled in. Did he run wrong? Did he get lost by any chance?

"Who's there?"

The sudden call of a female voice made the youth wince and look around hastily. An enemy maybe? More wolves? Just in case he put his bejeweled hand into his jacket's pocket and loaded a plasma bolt. When he saw the feminine figurine coming out of the deep woods, he got even more wary. Coal black hair reached her shoulders, framed a bleached face and the most obvious feature; a pair of ruby red eyes. The woman wasn't big per definition, maybe a head shorter than himself and clothed in a long black robe.  
"Dave Stutler", he finally spoke, snapping out of the fascination and attached hastily "Apprentice of Balthazar Blake, sorcerer of the 7-..."  
"I know his damn title."

The sudden disruption coming from the woman perplexed Dave, making the words get stuck in his throat, effectively silencing him. Instead, he managed a hoarse

"You _know_ him?"

"Aye, lad, I know Blake. I wondered what he was doing here though. Can't be for a tea-time though. So, you're his student? Where's your master? Students aren't supposed to leave their master's side!"

"He told me to get help! Wolves attacked us!"

"Wolves? You mean, Wolven. Whatever, lad, bring me there. I'll see what I can do."

The black haired woman passed him, obviously knowing the way already, though Dave wondered how exactly she could know. Then it dawned on him.

"I think I didn't quite get your name, sorry.."  
"Armatha Doshinski, witch of the 776th degree!", she said in an annoyed tone as if she had explained that to a lot of people already and was sick of doing so another time, her eyes betraying the thought of him being an absolute idiot on top of it.

"776th..?!"  
"Yeah yeah, I know. My mistress went missing a few hundred years ago, so I never reached a higher rank. But as I see it, I still could beat the wind out of you if you keep lagging behind!"

Some witch that was! Dave felt the relieve though. She didn't seem like an enemy. Hastily and with big steps he closed the distance between them and followed _her_ back.

As they walked, Dave noticed a penetrant smell of burnt flesh, which got stronger the further they went. He felt remotely reminded of chilly-cheesed hotdogs. Mixed with this was the stench of blood and death. It made him sick and he wished a strong breeze would blow it away. But even if the smell was gone, the bad feeling he always had when he left back his master wouldn't go. It tailed him like a hungry predator, patiently waiting for him to crack.

When the duo left the forest behind, Armatha spotted the hills and fastened her steps, Dave on her heels. When she suddenly stopped the youth nearly ran into her, looking at her questioning, then followed her eyeline and winced at the scene.

The ground was scorched black. Roughly twenty skeletons laid scattered around, barely recognizable as wolves. Whatever killed them must've consumed their flesh as well, Dave concluded, as he followed his female companion down the hill to the pit.  
Again, he ran into her, cursing slightly this time. And, again, he followed her eyes and was on his knees immediately, touching the only human body on the shoulder.

"Not again!", the youth shouted, turning the motionless man on his back, the knot in his throat growing.  
"Again?", it was Armatha, who watched the apprentice charge up and rising his arms, channeling the energy to his hands and summoning a huge ball of plasma.  
"Hold on, Buddy, I'll get you back!"  
"Wait, what are you d-...?"

Dave was about to press both hands on his masters chest, when a shock hit him and threw him backwards against a rock, leaving that one deformed and the youth consternated. The witch stared after him, then looked back to Balthazar, who had his right hand still lifted slightly, the ring still glowing.

"Next time, check my pulse beforehand, Dave", he said, sounding even more beat up than he looked, but sitting up anyway. "As I'm not dead."

"Stop making me sick with worry!"

"I can take care of myself, thank you. Did you bring anything to eat? I'm starving."

"You can take care of... wait, what?"  
"Low blood suger. Starving. Want sandwiches. Now."  
"Where am I supposed to find sandwiches out here?"  
"I don't know and I don't care. Just get me something."

"Aw come on!", Dave whined and looked helplessly at the witch who gave it a sigh before pointing to the side. "Make yourselves comfortable."

When the sorcerers looked, they found a table, filled with the most tasty stuff you could think. Dave had trouble keeping the water in his mouth, while Balthazar just pushed himself up – staggered a little, but gently refused his students help – and walked over to the buffet, grabbed two hands full of chicken-legs, fruit and bread and started munching on it, obviously forgetting the world around him in favor of the nutritious stuff. As Dave tried to get a bit, the only thing he got was a deadly glare, making him return emptyhanded to Armatha, who shook her head about it. They indepently decided to leave the starving master to himself for now.

"So, you didn't explain what you two were looking for here."  
"We need help."  
"Indeed."  
"Come on, not this kind of help..! There was some kind of... incident."

Dave explained in detail how Hovarth had freed Morgana, shortened the fight a bit, told of her demisal and ended the report with her sudden return from the dead, which somehow resulted in the death of the person his master had been tried to free for over thousand years. The boy got quiet after that and threw a look to the elder who still seemed completely consumed by consuming, leading the younger Merlinean to the question just what kind of spell the elder had used to make him behave like a famished animal now. Just while he started to think the question, he heard the master sorcerer mumble something like "Hellfire. Pretty effective against enemy groups, but burns the body's glucose to summon flames even on impossible surfaces." before more meat filled his mouth.

Dave raised an eyebrow at that. Glucose imbalance? He thought he'd heard this somewhere...

"So", the witch interrupted. "You want me to help you guys destroy Morgana? Of all?"

"Yeah, kinda like that.."  
"Forget it."  
"What? Hey, wait!", Dave shouted, as the witch turned to go.

"Anything else?"

"Why won't you help us?!"  
"I'm not obliged to do so. Besides, Morgana can't be stopped. She's immortal, you fool. Just keep an eye on her prison and all will be fine."

With that, Armatha was gone. Just like that, leaving Dave speechless. "You didn't expect her to help us, did you?", he heard someone next to him say and looked up to find Balthazar, who put a hand on his shoulder, the chin beard stained with an undefinable kind of sauce. Dave chose to ignore it for now. There were more important matters at hand.

"Actually yes, I did! And you did too, what else could we do in the middle of nowhere?"  
"She will change her mind."

"What makes you so sure of it?"  
"We'll offer her your blood."  
"Mine?! No!"  
"What's wrong with it?"  
"Besides, she's vegan, remember?"  
"She doesn't eat meat, that's right."

"And she stopped sucking blood?"  
"So you listened for once."

"You don't make sense. At all."  
"I know. We need her though. Come."  
"But..! I'm kind of hungry too!"  
"Too late."

Dave turned to the table, just to find it empty, save a few bones and chewed upon apple stems. He groaned soundly, then followed his fed master, trying to ignore his own rumbling belly.


	4. Chapter 4

Again the same pathway, again the same caves, again the end of the way.

Again standing there and staring into nothingness.

The only difference was that he wasn't standing here alone now.

But it didn't change the inevitable facts.

"Balthazar?"  
"What is it, Dave?"  
"There's no hut, right?"  
"What makes you think that?"  
"Well, the obvious first.. I don't see anything here."  
"Don't look with the eyes."  
"Come again?"  
"Use your third eye."  
"You mean _imagination_? Very funny."  
"No. I mean the eye that enables you to see this."

Dave didn't find the time to avoid the plasma bolt, even if it was weak, it hit him und threw him back a few steps and to the ground.

"What was that for?"  
"Try again, Dave. I don't want you to batter your head into something you don't see."

"But.. but.. but!"  
"Enough with the 'buts'! Concentrate! What is the first step to sorcery?"  
"Clearing my mind?"  
"Exactly. Go on."

The youth sighed and closed his eyes, trying to get rid of any unneccessary thoughts and emotions. It proved harder than he initially anticipated; the shock from a few minutes ago still in place. When he finally cleared the fog of his mind and opened his eyes again, he somehow expected anything to happen. He stared into the forest but all he saw were trees, bushes and a lot of nothing. Seeking help he looked half panic-stricken at his master.

"It's not working!"  
"Must be because you skipped lunch."  
"What _lunch_? There was nothing _left_ what'd had deserved that title!"

He wasn't graced with an answer this time. Only an mildly amused smile.

"Come. We're wasting daylight. And I mean it, night falls extremly fast here."  
"I know, okay? I happened to be present in geography!"

Dave knew he sounded pissed, maybe he was, he didn't mean it though and took a deep breath, cooling his temper with the fresh breeze, before uttering an honest "I'm sorry.." to Balthazars back.

"Don't be. Next time make sure you get a bite before there's nothing left."  
"You're not serious, are you?"  
"No. Not really."

A hint of a smile came with that reply, efficiently undermining Dave's temper, making the ground below it crack and letting it fall to an endless pit. The apprentice found himself unable to be upset anymore, gave it a sigh and made a few long strides to close the distance to his master, who hadn't bothered to stop.

As they entered the sea of trees, less and less light seemed to reach the floor. By the time Dave turned around to check how far they'd come, he barely managed to see a dim glim somewhere in the distance. Turning forwards again deep black darkness greeted him. How could it become so dark? When they'd stood on the pathway, he at least could see into the forest. Now he couldn't even see his own hand if it wasn't for the glowing dragon ring.

"What are you doing back there, Dave? Move it!", came Balthazar's voice from far beyond and made the youth wince a little. Just how fast did the old man go? Or was it his imagination? Dave nearly gave it a dry laugh. If that was all his third eye was capable of he obviously needed glasses for that... He started running, but soon his foot felt the impact of a root and threw him to the ground with a nice **wump**. Footsteps, the scent of old leather. A hand touched his shoulder.

"You alright, Dave?", Balthazar asked calmly, helping his apprentice stand. He sounded as if he'd anticipated the youth to fall sooner or later. And it annoyed said one a little.

"Sure.. thanks"  
"Come. It's not far."

This time, the fingerless-gloved hand took Dave's, leading him like a blind through the darkness. Just how could the elder see at all? Even using the third eye, in this absolute lightlessness it didn't make sense! "I think I explained it before, Dave. The third eye isn't restricted by physical causes", Balthazar's voice broke into Dave's thoughts, spoken outside the youth's head though, by perfectly normal sound waves in a baritone voice. "When you've mastered it, you don't even _need_ your eyes anymore. That's ironically how _seers_ can walk around without getting themselves killed."  
"Only that I won't master it if I can't do it"

"You can. Just as you can see magic. Normal humans can't see it until the physical world gets involved. The problem isn't the darkness, Dave. It's in your head."  
"So I'm no bright guy, right?"  
"Don't misunderstand me on purpose!", the elder half-growled, recomposed himself and went on, while giving a short warning of a particular big rock Dave would have tripped over before getting back on topic. "Let's try something else then. What is darkness?"  
"Absence of light?"  
"Correct. Is darkness matter?"  
"No?"  
"Exactly. Now tell me. If something has no matter, does it exist?"

"Usually not but..."  
"How do you see something that's not existing?"

"Balthazar, it doesn't work that w-..."  
"Dave. Take a deep breath. Then tell me if you can _see_ darkness."

The youth did as he was told to, air filled his lungs and freshed up his blood. He closed his eyes while holding his breath for a few seconds before exhaling slowly. As he opened his eyes, the forest's gloom started to dissolve. After a while he could make out trees and the floor. It was then Balthazar let go of his hand.  
"Enlightened?" A hint of amusement was behind this words.  
"Yeah. Thanks a bunch!"  
"That's what I'm your master for."

"See, how much you're still needed?"  
"No.. if you'd read your Encantus more carefully, you'd found the trick in chapter 13.."

"Chapter 13? Fighting dragons and unicorns simultanously? There wasn't...-"  
"You should re-read it."

"Come on!"

But the elder walked on, slowing his steps just enough for Dave to keep up, now that he was seeing. He could sense the hut somewhere just ahead, but something was off. _Maybe she moved it.._, the master thought silently, ignoring Dave's constant nagging about going even deeper into the woods and still not finding that thing. Slowly Balthazar too started believing in it. They might never find it. In fact, they could wander around the forest until one or both of them dropped. That wolf pack for sure wasn't the only one here..

Dave still lamented.

"She did say she wouldn't help us, didn't she?"

"We still need her, Dave."

"But she refused!"  
"We went through this already."

"Yeah, but what if she doesn't _want_ blood?"

"We'll leave if she _still_ refuses, right?"  
"Why do you want to go back so badly?"

"This place is creeping me out."  
"_Every_ place would manage that, Dave."  
"Ha ha. Very funny."  
"I know. We will rest here."  
"We will?"  
"Yes. Is there a problem? Night is falling, if we keep walking we're bound to get attacked"

With that the elder stood, fumbled in his pocket and took out the pocket sized _Phantom, _set it on the ground and restored its original size, maybe even a few inches bigger, taken they'd be sleeping in there. When it had fully grown, Balthazar went to the driver's door and slipped into the seat, Dave followed his example and seated himself in the co-driver's side. When both doors slammed shut and the locks were set tightly, Dave was gone in seconds. His master took a moment longer, reminicing.

~Veronica..~, he thought. ~Don't worry. Soon I'll be with you...~

Faintly, he thought he'd hear a sigh. Soft words like /Please don't say that\\ seemed to flow with the wind, but remained unheard, as the songless lullaby sent him to the realm of dreams.

When he woke the next time, it was because someone shook his shoulder and called his name. At first, his sleep-drunken mind didn't quite make the connection as to who the voice belonged to. Then it finally clicked and the master sorcerer groaned inwardly. He'd been dreaming such a nice thing... why'd his _apprentice_ have to wake him? Half awake he rolled over slightly, glaring daggers at Dave who shrinked his hand back and smiled sheepishly.

"What?", the older asked levelled but obviously unnerved.

"You... have been talking in your sleep.."  
"I see. Sorry to have woken you.."

He was about to turn his back on Dave and slip back into the folds of his dreams, when the boy spoke again. It was now Balthazar registered the complete darkness outside the car. _Must be midnight... or late_r, he thought and his mind already planned quite a few ways of payback.

"That's not it...You sounded so desperate.. wanna talk about it?"  
"No. I don't want to. Good night, Dave."

With that, he turned around, snorted slightly and just faintly heard the grumbled "Good Night" from his apprentice's mouth before sleep claimed him once again.

The morning came with all its glory and – less pleasant – a thick cloud of falling snow. Dave stared at it with a numb expression. He was tired. And hungry. And tired. Sleep had evaded him successfully as thoughts filled his head the more he tried to _clear his mind_. Yes, he had tried everything from counting sheep to shutting down his brain but nothing worked. The worries came back with revenge. He couldn't stop thinking about the words his master had mumbled. _Don't do that, Veronica _and _Stay with me _were the ones concerning him the most. Most of the other stuff hadn't been audible enough to understand the whole context, but the elder obviously dreamed of the one he'd lost. It still weighted heavy on him and Dave still didn't know what exactly had happened that day! That and his longing for Becky, who probably still was angry with him, had kept him awake ever since.

A quick look over his shoulder confirmed his master's still sleeping form. _At least one of us will be well rested if we get attacked.., _he thought with grim sarcasm and sat up, stretching his numb limbs as far as possible in the low car. He _did_ wonder though, if anything would leave their hideout in this kind of weather. Bears maybe, or more wolves, at least nothing too dangerous. But if they wanted to get on with their journey they'd have to walk through this. And to do this – and maybe get home some day – he'd have to wake his master. The youth reached out once again, but as he was about to touch the leathery shoulder of the other, he heard him mumble "I'm awake" and pulled back the offending limb. Dave saw the elder sit up with crackling _everything _and, as Dave before, shook off the stiffness by stretching his long limbs out before turning to the younger Merlinean.

"Doesn't look like we'll be going anywhere for now", the master stated, looking thoughtfully outside. "No use if we freeze to death. We will do training instead." - Dave stared at him unbelieving as he said that – "Get your Encantus.", the elder attached, irritated by the confused look on his students face, snapping two fingers in front of the youths face.

"Back to earth, Dave."

"How can we train _in here_?"

"Get your Encantus.", Balthazar repeated, this time less patient.

"But..!"  
"Enough with the buts."

Dave submitted with a sigh and twisted his body, fishing on the back seat for the huge book, which laid somewhere below the other baggage. When he'd finally got a grip on the leather cover and dragged it to the front, he was panting for air, very much to his masters annoyance.

"Ready?"

"For what?"  
"Chapter 11. Page 223."

The student frowned a bit, but browzed the book, finding the suggested page. _Defense against black magic _was written on top of it, a picture of some two-faced creature below the head line. Dave stared at the picture for a moment, then looked up to Balthazar. A simple question formed in his mind and his lips formulated the matching sound.

"Why?"

"Come again?"  
"Why do I have to learn this right now?"

"Because we've got nothing better to do and it might come in handy some day."

With that, Balthazar slightly opened the window left to him, reached into the biting cold and touched the car's top. The effect was immediate. The metal stretched and reformed, forming a huge dome of black steel, windows evenly distributed in a circle just above their heads, letting the scarce daylight in. An astounded Dave found himself sitting on the ground, right where the seat had been just seconds before, the baggage behind him on the same height. "Move", his master said, making the youth jump to his legs and drag the stuff to the wall in a hurry.

The next thing Dave recognized on first sight. The pose his master took, right in the middle of the dome, arms lowered to each side of his body, the high concentration the elder emitted, then a fast upwards move of both arms before green flames shot out of the ground with a blazing sound, forming a double circle. The spheres for 'elemental', 'transformation', 'mind', 'time', 'motion' and 'matter' burned itself into the earth and lit with each line in its corresponding color, finishing the Merlin Circle with the master in the very center.

It was then Balthazar relaxed and looked over to Dave who had watched in awe.

"I never knew you could – or would in that matter – do that to your car..", Dave said, but his master ignored the comment.

"Listen closely, Dave. Black magic is all mind based, so you will be training in the mind domain", the older sorcerer said, motioning his apprentice to step into the circle, right into the blood-red glowing symbol.

"Before we begin... can I ask something?", Dave tried and waited for the reply which first came as a sceptic look, but finally a nod. "How exactly do we train _defense_ if there's no _offensive_?"

"I happen to know a few basic black magic spells so we'll work with that."  
"_You_ of all know black magic?"

"Something strange about it?"  
"But I thought Merlineans were.."  
"All but servants, yes. I didn't learn them under Merlin, if that's what you want to know. Can we move on now?" The topic obviously was uncomfortable to the man, as Dave noticed the edge to his voice, so the youth let it drop and nodded.

"Good. When black magic relies on illusion, what could be the ultimate goal of a black magic user? Destruction? Control?"

"Destruction of the mind or control of the person?"  
"Exactly, but there's no _or_ in fact. A person is controlled easiest when their mind is in shreds. Black magic also disturbs the flow of _your_ energy, rendering you unable to cast advanced spells."  
"Besides, some of the higher spells ask for fees", another voice said directly behind Dave, making him flinch. When he turned around in a jolt, he thought he saw his master brush past him, but as he stared at the picture, it was gone. His eyes wandered back to the mid of the circle, finding Balthazar standing there with an amused smirk. So he _had_ done something.

"Is something wrong, Dave?", he asked without losing that expression.

"N-no.."  
"You did see the afterimage, right?"  
"I think so.."  
"We need to work on that. An enemy will use this technique to confuse you and make you lose your focus. The Shadow Clone."  
"Didn't you say you only know basic-..?"  
"This _is_ basic, Dave."

"Ugh.."  
"If you can keep an eye on me the whole time, you're ready to face offensive magic."

This couldn't be too hard. He already knew Balthazar didn't leave the circle. Everything else had to be a trick.. right?

"Wrong", his master suddenly said next to him, making the youth flinch more on the inside than outside, but he didn't look this time. Instead, he focused on the center, just to find it empty. It was unnerving. A side-glance to the master standing beside him, holding one hand up as if preparing for a plasma bolt.

"If I was Horvath, you'd be dead now. Concentrate, Dave. Don't use your eyes. Feel my presence to locate me." The elder stepped past Dave, re-entering the Merlin Circle, each step without a sound, like a predator stalking it's prey.

_Wait... _

His apprentice stopped, closing the eyes. There _was_ no footstep! _At all_! But a slight crackle a few metres behind! Without thinking he loaded a plasma bolt, turned around in a flash and sent his attack in that direction. A surprised yelp followed, then fizzling as two bolts cancelled each other.

"Good work. But by the time you reacted, you'd been dead two times by now. Don't depend on your usual senses, Dave, the nerves connecting them to the brain aren't fast enough. _Feel_ it. Again."

"What _am_ I to use then if not my _usual senses_?"

"Figure it out. That's the point of training, isn't it?"  
"You don't want to know what I think about it!"  
"Probably. Back to work!"

And he was gone again. Dave looked around, gave it first a sigh and then a try. _Don't listen, don't see.. feel the presence.. Damnit!_, he thought frustrated. _Come on, concentrate, clear your mind..  
_Taking a deep breather, he suddenly seemed to feel something; a slight pulling in the back of his kidneys. It wandered around his waist, touching the stomach's frontside and stayed there for a moment, just to start going left and right in huge strides. When he heard the obligatory crackling again, he jumped aside just in time, as the plasma bolt passed where he'd stood just before.

"That's it", he heard Balthazar say and peeked through one half open eye, finding him in the direction the pulling in his guts came from, maybe a few metres in distance. "Keep in mind that enemies will try to hide their presence. You need to keep honing the detection skill, otherwise it will start to lose it's edge. Got it?"  
"Kinda.."  
"Looks like the weather is better now. We'll stop for now. Step back."

The apprentice backed off until his back touched the steel dome. He could watch his finally fully visible master touch the other side of the dome, his ring glowing and telling the metal to return to it's original form. With an earshattering screech it reformed back into the _Phantom_, which gave off a satisfied purr when it's master gently touched the metal roof.

"Welcome back, baby..", he whispered, very much to Dave's consternation, and motioned the boy to load their stuff back into the car, an order that was followed out of a confused state of mind. Dave knew his master loved his car, but this was ridiculous!

When he was finished, both of them swung into the seats and closed the doors, while Balthazar started the engine once again.  
"Can you tell me why it's suddenly working again?"  
"She had enough rest."  
"It."  
"What?"  
"A car is referenced through by 'it', not 'she'", Dave corrected, but winced at the look his master gave him, practically gaping as if he'd said _the thing_ about _shoes_ again.

"Do you know the history of this vehicle, Dave?"  
"How would I kn-..."

"In 1910 an alchemist's experiment in human transmutation failed. Instead of reviving his dead aunt, she only was dragged out of oblivion, but didn't find the body. She was doomed to wander the earth from that day on. Where do you think the soul is right now?"  
"Balthazar.. you're giving me the creeps... you know that, right?"

A smirk of the elder and Dave felt goosebumps rise up his back, neck and leave through the scalp.

"Do I even want to know?"  
"You started this, Dave. The alchemist and I met in a bar on that day. As he got more and more drunk he told me his story. But by the time we left the bar, my car already had received a very special enchantment."  
"The aunt."  
"Exactly."

_Why do I even wonder, _Dave thought while repressing a sigh._ That's just like him to animate dead objects. Best thing if I don't think about why that crysler eagle moves._

"Don't worry about that one, Dave. There's nobody's soul in the eagle.", the master broke into Dave's thoughts, making the youth, once again, flinch.

"Would you _stop_ doing that?"

"No."

With that, the engine purred and followed it's owner's directions, bringing them deeper into the woods...

The next stop was the final one. _Phantom_ had found the hut, nearly without any help of it's owner, which, in combination with the tale, gave Dave more than enough reason to be concerned. It – no, she – had an intelligence of its – her – own. So it – she – was per definition _alive_. The youth scowled at his mind for correcting perfectly correct and logical sentences. He felt so stupid, referring an object with a personal pronoma, but thinking back.. his friend and master had done so all the time. Why didn't it ever occur to him that there might be a reason for it?

The youth looked at the elder, who still held the wheel and watched the hut with a cautious intense.

"Are you ready, Dave?", he asked, once again ending Dave's seemingly endless string of thoughts, calling the apprentice back to reality.

"Ready for what?"  
"When we're leaving that hut, Morgana will be gone. For good." _And so will I._

"How can I be _not_ ready for that? I mean, we've been fighting for that _all along_, didn't we?"

"Yeah.. that's right..."

Dave didn't feel comfortable when he heard the tone of the elder's voice. He sounded so exhausted. But somehow relieved. Alright, both was to be expected, since the millenia old quest would be over for good. Something wasn't right though.

"And then we're going home together and you reclaim your shop!"  
"Yeah.."  
"If they don't leave it, we'll haunt them out!"  
"Good idea..."  
"And after that we'll go down into my lab and.."  
"Dave.."  
".. train till we drop!"  
"Listen."  
"We will, won't we, Balthazar?" There was a hint of desperation in the youth's voice, as he struggled against the growing knot in his stomach. _Dream on_, a voice in his head said – not belonging to his master for once. The one in question stared at Dave, silent as a grave, making the youth shut his mouth and only gulp hard.

"Whichever way this ends, promise me you will go back to New York."

"You're freaking me out, man..", Dave said after a second or two, trying to mask his panic by looking away. He sounded a little hoarse.

"Answer me."

"Only if _you_ promise to not get yourself killed!"

The elder didn't comment on that, turned away to open the door, and left the car without reply. His apprentice followed after a short delay of getting out himself and hastily closing the door, followed by a short sprint to the side of his master, who walked with both hands in the pockets, just waiting for the youth to catch up.

The hut had seen better days for sure, covered with slick moss, weeds growing everywhere around it and giving off an overall musty smell. The wood looked marantic and decaying. Not a pretty sight! As Dave further looked around, he saw a pentagram itched into the frozen earth, it's flames had melted the snow. He'd never seen a real Morganian Pentagram, but the Encantus had depicted it somewhat... smaller. This one was _huge_! He guess it around the size of the Merlin circle back home, but even then it was pretty big. Maybe he over-assumed it as pictures always tend to be smaller than the real thing. He left behind the scary symbol and joined his master.

Balthazar knocked on the rotten door, steps were heard inside the building. When the door opened a bit, an angry eye stared through the slight gap.

"What do you require?", the voice asked in a flat tone.

"You know why we're here, Armatha. Can't we talk?"  
"I won't help you. I thought I'd said.."  
"Please."  
"I suppose you won't leave whatever I say?"  
"Indeed."  
"Come in then. Let us talk, Balthazar Blake and Dave Stutler."  
"Thank you."

After recovering from the first shock of the witch knowing his name, Dave followed his master inside and heard the door shut behind him, wincing a bit at the loud sound, before the witch led them to a low table, surrounded by four chairs. She offered her guests seats which were taken. Tea was served by the hostess and cups were given to the guests. It was then Armatha Doshinski joined them.

"You want my help in destroying Morgana. But I can not help you. And you know why", she didn't ask that. It was a statement.  
"Because you were Morganian once."  
"Not were, am." At that, Dave paled and even made a move to defend himself against the imminent attack, when Balthazar gave him a calm but warning side glare, forcing the boy to relax, even if it was just enough to keep him from jumping at the witch.

"And am not. I'm hunted as traitor, you know that too. If I were to help in destroying Morgana her followers would find and kill me."

"If their leader was killed, the minions had no reason to go after you. They would be busy to replace the loss."

"No.. We Morganians may be fighting for ourselves, but we all love our leader for one reason or another. Revenge-attacks would be inevitable. And I'm too old to fight them off. Seems you will have to remain the grimhold's keeper for a while to come, Balthazar Blake", she said with a smile that gave Dave the creeps. It was sweet, but snakes can smile just as nice before biting you.

"So you don't trust your powers, right?"  
"What are you scheming?"  
"If we give you strenght to defend yourself, would you change your mind?"  
"Oh, I don't know, maybe? How do you think you can help _me_?"

"Blood."

There was something in her eyes. A glint, maybe a trick of the room's twilight.. maybe not. In any case, she burst out into a roading laughter, making both sorcerers jump.

"Aren't you old-fashioned, huh? Hahaha.. Oh Balthazar Blake, you amuse me. You of all should know that drinking virgin blood doesn't help my kind."

"I wasn't thinking of usual blood..."  
"Ooh? Are you saying you'd offer your apprentice's blood to me?"

The elder took a sideglance at the even more paling Dave and sighed.

"No."

"Then we have nothing to haggle with!"  
"We'll use mine."  
"Oh?"

Two pairs of eyes looked at the master. One interested and that one's face's lips licked by a greedy tongue, the other one reflecting pure shock.

"You can't be serious!", Dave exclaimed, suddenly standing up and staring down his master, who remained still sitting, just saying: "I am."

"Magic enhanced blood of the 777th degree? I heard Merlin was of the _1000__th_ degree. Some Morganians get close to the _850__th_. Sacrificing you won't help me against those."

"There can't be that many left.."  
"You don't have a clue, old boy.."

"Take mine!"

Both elders looked at Dave, who still stood cast-iron, emitting a resolute energy. While Balthazar carried a serious and thoughtful expression, the witch only laughed again. "You boy? What are you, a kindergartner?" At that, Dave clenched his teeth, temper taking over fast enough to prevent his master from intervening, raised his fisted right hand, presenting his ring to the witch, who whistled through her teeth as her red eyes followed the dragon-like contours.

"Oh, I see, I see. So the mighty Balthazar Blake _finally_ found the prime Merlinean, yes? Took you long enough, old boy", she said with a side-glance to the elder, who gave it a slight flinch and a deadly glare at the witch, who didn't seem impressed by it. At all. Dave just snorted at her playful tone and slowly lowered his fist until it was on even level with the rest of his body, saying nothing for the moment.

"Merlin's heir, huh..? Even if you can't control your powers yet, they're even greater than your teacher's. If I consumed it, it would protect me for quite a while..", she said thoughtfully. As she looked at the young apprentice, smiling knowingly, he remained surprisingly motionless.

"What do I have to do?"  
"Just give me your hand."

"Dave, don't", Balthazar finally chimed in, drawing their attention once again. "I don't care if I have to carry around the grimhold a few centuries longer. You will _not_ involve yourself into this!"

"As I see it, I'm already involved, being the prime Merlinean and likes.. It's just a bit blood, what do I have to lose? Nothing else than donating blood..."  
"Yes, that's right boy", the witch laughed, further adding to Dave's irritation. "You donate your blood to me and that's as much as you'll get about it. I will help you getting rid of Morgana and you both are free to go."  
"You will not do that! I forbid you to do this!", Dave heard his master nearly shout, as the elder jumped up, kicking over the chair in the process.

"I just want to help..!", Dave tried, but his master stopped him with a growled "No."

"Just now you were about to do it yourself and suddenly-..."  
"What _I_ do is not important! You still have your life to live. I won't let you sacrifice your future for one who should be dead by all that matters!"  
"It's not as if I'd die from that, is it? Come on!"  
"You _will_!"

At that, Dave just gaped at the master, unable to comprehent the information. All he managed to say was something barely audible between "What" and "How". They stared at each other for a moment, before the old sorcerer spoke again, this time forcing himself to calm down.

"Just don't do it.", he said, then turned to the witch. "If we can't get together elsehow, then we'll leave. I'm sorry to have bothered you."

He made a move to turn, but the witch gripped his hand in a somehow desperate gesture, her eyes holding the spark of a fighting spirit in a paradox way.  
"You can't. Darkness will fall soon. Stay here for the night. You may go tomorrow", she said, her voice steady and her body tense. "Downstairs is a guestroom."

"We can take care of ourselves. Dave, let's go."  
"No! You stay here!"

"I appreciate your hospitality, but since you refused our offer, we have no reason to stay."

With that, the elder ripped his hand from hers, faced the door, was about to walk over and motioning his apprentice to follow, when both of them heard a loud click from the rotten wood.

_Oh boy_.., Dave thought sourly, feeling reminded of a certain sorcerer's trick to keep a 10-year old boy from leaving his shop and looked cluelessly at the same one, meeting his gaze. The elder sighed in defeat, facing Armatha.

"Seems we don't have much of a choice..."  
"Are you sure?", Dave just stared at him unbelieving.  
"She is right, Dave. We were lucky last night."

The youth hesitatingly nodded, but the bad feeling in his stomach didn't waver. Something wasn't right with this. Beside the fact they were staying in a freaking vampire witch's house over night in a place where their cries wouldn't be heard for miles if anything were to happen to them.

Otherwise, what _could_ happen anyway? If that vampire made a wrong move, he and Balthazar could jolt her to oblivion.

Armatha seemed to pick up on their decision and relaxed visibly, walked over to a rug and lifted it, revealing a trap door. Opening said one it revealed hidden circular stairs, which led deep into the earth. She turned to them one last time, smiling. "Just follow the passage", she said. "Your luggage is in the last room."

"Wha..? How did you..?" - Dave. All he got was another smirk by the witch.

Dave followed his master as they went down the stairs.

When they reached the guestroom, Dave, being dead tired, collapsed on the bed.

As it had turned out that room was rather spartanic. One closet, one double bed. It wasn't particular big either. But the witch had kept her promise. Their suitcases and even the Encantus were nicely placed next to the door. The youth felt his master's gaze on him and half opened his tired eyes, looking up to the elder, standing next to him, arms folded and mustering his apprentice sceptically, but didn't comment the loafing student.

"What?" Dave finally asked after being stared at for a minute.

"Oh, nothing. I just wondered where I will sleep since you claimed the bed."  
"If you want me to shift, say so!"  
"Oh, no need for that. I'll just sleep hovering over there", the elder said, thumb pointing at a corner.

"Alright, alright, I'm moving already", his apprentice grumbled, rolling over, back turned on his master, who got rid of any unnecessary clothing, just keeping vest and trousers on and putting the neatly folded cloak and the pointy shoes into the closet, before he returned to the bed and sat on it's border. A glance over his shoulder gave the master a good view of his apprentice's back and he quirked an eyebrow. What was with that attitude? Then it dawned on him.

"No need to feel ashamed, Dave", he said, practically hearing the blood rush into the boy's head after this slight announcement. "W-why would I be ashamed?", he heard the youth reply.

"Oh, I don't know. We'll be sleeping in the same bed and all.."

"A-and so?"  
"I just thought I'd tell you that you can relax. I'll keep my distance."  
"I-i-i wasn't even thinking of that..!"

The youth threw a short glance over his shoulder, but seeing the elder's foxy smirk, he hastily faced the wall again. What was he so nervous about anyway? _And what was that damn grin about? _He felt and heard the cover move and risked another look, just to find the elder snuggling under the sheet, back turned to him. Again, he faced the wall, listening to his own fast heart-beat.

".. Balthazar?", he asked after a while of eerie silence.

"What?", the other asked, sounding half-asleep.

".. .. nevermind.. good night.."  
"Good night, Dave."

When Dave woke, he did so because he'd heard something. At first, his subconscious hadn't noticed the noise at all. But as it kept on coming, more and more of it flooded the youth's consciousness, effectively waking him. Puzzled he laid still, trying to locate the sound. No need to announce to the danger that he knew it was there. _If it was that vampiristic witch he would... _

It only then occured to him that the witch was female and the sound he heard was a male voice, mumbling something. What disturbed him wasn't the wording though. Not only, at least. It shuddered a little every few seconds and if he listened close enough, he could hear the same desperate words of last night. The youth was torn between waking his suffering master and letting him dream on, given that, whatever it might be, was needed for... _recovery progress_... or something...

He'd have to ask Bennet about it when they got back home, as his roommate was into psychology recently, since his girlfriend had bought him that book 'The animal within us; What our subconscious wants to say'. For some reason he suddenly wished for that book, maybe it could help him decide wether to wake his master or let recovery do their thing. After the thought passed, Dave wondered, when he'd see his roommate again. And, maybe just as important, when he could apologize to Becky.

Luckily the sobs stopped after a while, giving room to silence once again. Dave was about to tick of the whole incident, turn back around and sleep on, as he heard Balthazar talk again. This time it was more than a mumble and sounded less delusional.

"Dave...", he said, as if half-sleeping and hoarse as hell.

"I'm here, buddy", the youth replied quietly, slightly touching the elder's shoulder blade, feeling skinny muscles tense under his hand and pulling it away, so he didn't cause discomfort to his bed neighbour.

"Did I wake you..?", that one asked, sounding less surprised about it, making it resemble more like a statement than a question.

"No. I was thinking."  
"About Becky..?"

Why didn't Dave even wonder where the elder had known that from again? The youth resisted a sigh and just replied a defeated

"Yeah... I wonder how she's doing."

"When this is over, she will come back to you, Dave. Don't worry."  
"How can you be so sure?", Dave said, nearly giving it a dry laughter.  
"She loves you. It must have pained her to just leave you."

"Wait, how do you-..."  
"The Encantus, Dave. You made quite a nice headline. _The prime Merlinean gets shot down by his sandbox love. _Good for you we're the last of the circle. Otherwise there'd be plenty of people laughing."

"Very funny."  
"You should see the picture.."  
"Not sure I want to"  
"Even the Encantus' exaggerated version is worth a good laugh."  
"... good night.", the youth ended the conversation dryly, turning his back on the surprisingly cheerful blond. Last thing he heard was a snicker, then a deep breath of his companion and master, indicating the elder found his way back to sleep. With that, Dave sighed and followed suit, unsuccessfully trying to clear his mind for another hour before sleep claimed him once again.

The next morning came and went by unnoticed by the sorcerers in their underground bedroom, who woke first thing around 12pm. Dave came to as he heard shuffling and movement in the room and sat up, to find Balthazar bent over his suitcase, digging in the contents, as if looking for something. The youth hesitated, watching his master clueless. When the elder stood and turned around, he seemed a little surprised of his apprentice being awake. Dave found him to be fully eqipped once again, as if ready to go.

"Good morning, Dave", he said, still sounding somewhat off.

"Morning", the boy replied, looking at what the master held in his hands, turning out to be a wallet.

"What's that?", he asked out of curiousity.

"A wallet."  
"I see that!"

"Don't ask dumb questions. I'm about to pay for our nightstay, as you probably didn't think of taking money with you, did you, Dave?"  
"O-of course I took my wallet.."  
"Still a bad liar. You should stop trying, Dave"

With that, the elder turned to leave the room, opened the door, left it and Dave alone, latter being consternated. After a while of staring at the door, he decided to follow his master. The young apprentice hadn't cared to strip last night so he didn't have to waste time slipping into anything. Jumping off the bed he took after his master.

He found him sitting on the table on the main floor, seemingly having a heated discussion with the witch. The elders didn't even notice the youth coming up the stairs until he joined them. As he did, they paused their conversation and looked at him; Armatha visibly annoyed, Balthazar somewhat tired, as always. Probably nothing to be concerned about.

"Good morning, Dave", latter said, snapping the youth out of his staring state.

"Ah.. morning.. what's up?", he asked into the small round.

"Oh, nothing, little boy. Your master said you'd leave soon so I felt the obligation to tell you that I won't let you go."  
"And that's why?"  
"I have my reasons."  
"And we're supposed to just swallow that?"  
"Dave. Calm down", Balthazar said, breaking his apprentice momentary anger breakout, making him shut his mouth for once. "She said her spies detected someone who is following us."  
"What spies?"  
"The trees, the birds, even the falling snow. There's nothing I don't know around here. And somebody you both know is after your lives. Neither of my spies knows the human concept of names though, so I can't tell you his. But his aura wants revenge for whatever thing you did to him", the witch explained, licking her lips in anticipation. "Maybe it has something to do with the grimhold?"

The last words were directed at Balthazar, whose gaze got a tick more serious than even before. He knew he'd left the puppet down in the guestroom, tightly locked and warded in the closet. It was save for now. Which didn't mean he wasn't concerned.

"One more reason to leave as fast as possible. Staying in one location has proven dangerous in my experience", he said, but the witch shook her head.  
"You're much saver in here."  
"Are you gonna force us to stay?", was what Balthazar asked, even if he could guess the answer.  
"Oh no, you're free to go. I'll keep my word. But I can't guarantee for your safety." The glint in her eyes made in an obvious threat.  
"And you don't possibly do this out of fear?", replied a completely unimpressed Balthazar.

"Fear? What would I fear?", there was a slight panic to her voice now.  
"While we're with you, nobody dares to attack. You must be standing with the back to the wall as they say. Ain't I right, Armatha?"  
"I.. I don't know what you are talking about, Balthazar Blake. If you insist on leaving then go!"  
"No. Now that you deny it – and you suck at lieing even more than Dave does -, I want to know the true story. We'll stay and see."

Was that some sort of relieve in the witch's eyes? Dave looked between the two elders, trying to comprehend. So they were going to stay here for his master's curiousity's sake? There had to be more behind it. He was about to ask, when the vampire stood, smiling honestly for the first time.

"I think you both are hungry. Coincidently I got some regional specialities. Interested in a Russian breakfast?"


	5. Chapter 5

After being filled to the lower edge of the upper lip, the material being all kinds of food from the 18th century of Russia – which ironically happened to be exact the same stuff Dave had eaten back in America -, the sorcerers went outside. Not to leave, as Balthazar had reaffirmed to the once again relieved witch, but to keep up with training. Armatha had joined them, very much to the young apprentice's amazement, as another one of hollywood's badly researched information about vampires vanished into thin smoke; she wasn't vulnerable against sunlight. That became obvious, as she was hit directly by the rising sun's rays and even seemed to enjoy it, but frowned at the sorcerer's questioning look.

Balthazar was busy enough etching another Merlin Circle into the ground, making sure it was far enough from the Morganian Pentagram to not disturb either's energy flow. When he finally raised the flames and turned to face his apprentice, he found the youth staring at the witch, who just glared back. Cocking an eyebrow he left the circle, the flames dieing down to a low glow as he did, then stepped between the two and shoved the confused Dave in the general direction of the training area without an audible comment, even less a thought one. He'd explain it to Dave when they were alone.  
"Elemental Sphere", was all he said and the apprentice oblidged, stepping into the corresponding domain, the symbol glowing in golden flames. His master took stance in the central domain, looking straight at him. "Tell me which element we will be using today."

Dave resisted the urge to say something like "Isn't that your job?", overthought the wording in prospect of physical damage that was sure to follow, and finally replied, after finding the last two elements unused until now being wood and earth, latter one seemed unpractical for the ground was frozen, "Wood?", even if it came out rather a question than an answer.

"Exactly. And because working with wood always is equal to transforming matter, you are going to train the spells in the transformation sphere _and_ in elemental sphere."  
"And you're telling me this beforehand because..?"  
"Mental preperation. Your brain needs to channel especially much energy today, so..."  
"No, I mean, normally you don't warn me at all.."  
"You miss your butt getting kicked?"  
"Wha-.."  
"Alright then. No further advice, let's get down to business."

With that, he snipped an acorn to Dave, who barely caught it, staring at the tree seed, then back to his master. As he was about to formulate a question, the elder talked again.

"Since you're aspired enough to talk back to me, let's see if you can make this acorn grow into a.. mmmh, let's say, thirty year old tree, shall we?"  
"How should I..?"  
"What did I say?"  
"_No further advice_?"

"Exactly. Now, go on, growing a tree takes it's time, even when forced."

The elder looked expectantly at Dave, who lowered his eyes to the acorn, trying to figure out the process. He was visibly embarrassed, his shoulders slumped. But Balthazar made no move to help him. The youth had to learn some manners. It was something that had disturbed the elder for the past months since they met, but back then the world's fate rested on his apprentice's progress so he had to speed up a little. Besides, what would Veronica say if he left the boy without at least slightly polished manners? He watched Dave still staring at the acorn, seemingly willing it to grow, and decided to step in, before the youth ended up with an oak growing from his hand.

"Dave", the master said, making the boy's head snap up sharp enough that it looked mildly painful. "Common sense. Do you see any tree here grow from a man's hand?"

It finally clicked. The apprentice shoved away some snow and set the acorn to the ground. Balthazar had to give him credit, Dave was a fast learner. Once the boy got the basic concept, he could build his knowledge on that faster than he'd seen anyone do the last thousand years. If more people had been like Dave in that time span, the world would've turned out much less agonizing. Too many fools had creeped into countries' governments and were leading the world into a by now unavoidable disaster. If things had gone otherwise – and if Dave wasn't such a dreadful liar, though the master was glad his apprentice was, as good liars were either bad sorcerers or Morganians by definition – the youth would've been an honorable politician, if there's even such a thing.

Again, he turned his attention to the apprentice who miserably failed at making the acorn even budge, much less grow into a tree. But this time he wouldn't intervene. If Dave learned a lesson from it, it would be worth the waiting. Maybe he would help just a little..

Dave concentrated on the damn thing, clenching his teeth to the point of making his gums bleed from pressure, his ringed hand hovering over the seed, the ring glowing furiously with each attempt. _Damn that Balthazar_, he thought growling, well aware his master was in earshot – and he always would be -, and put as much energy into it as he could. His head felt like exploding and he felt sick from the effort. Then, finally, something happened. A green tip sprouted from the acorn. It grew bigger, until the wooden shell finally broke and a small sapling digged it's roots into the ground. At first, the apprentice was confused, then smile broadly and tried even harder than before.

Behind him, invisible to the youths eyes, his master gave it an inaudible chuckle as he lowered his bejeweled hand with the still glowing ring and threw a side-glance to the witch who barely kept a, probably roaring, laughter back. Her watering eyes betrayed her thoughts, even without his mind reading skills. He gave her credit for holding back though, giving it a small smirk. Again the master watched his apprentice who, by now, had raised the sapling to a small tree of his knees' height. At the same time, the boy shook every now and then, giving an overall exhausted view.

"Alright, Dave. You can stop", he finally called, wincing slightly as the youth just slumped to the ground, laying on his back, panting. Walking over to the fallen apprentice, he took sight of the tree, that had made a last growth rush, now reaching his hips. Aknowledging he touched the plant, feeling the magic flowing through it. This tree would become huge if left alone..

"... is that...", Dave panted behind him. ".. good enough?"  
"Yes. You did well. Rest for now."  
"Aye aye, captain!", the youth said, unable to lift a single muscle and slumping back onto the thawed ground, semi-comatose but smiling proudly of his achievement. He'd never know Balthazar had lent him a hand and the master wasn't about to change it. Carefully he casted a shield around his sleeping apprentice, then left him there and walked over to his acquaintance, unable to not notice her smug smile.

"You got quite a soft spot for this boy, haven't you?"  
"And you're not the first one to say that. I just hope you won't try to murder me like the last one did", he said, sounding somewhat resignating.

"Don't worry...", the witch sighed, looking between master and apprentice, back and forth. "Are you sure it's alright to leave him in the open?"  
"He wouldn't stand up even if he could."

"Indeed, old boy, indeed. Say, interested in a bit more business talk?"  
"Oh? Did you change your mind?"

"No. But I got a better idea.."

He felt intrigued to know what the witch had planned. Otherwise he didn't want to leave Dave completely alone outside.. but then again, the shield was pretty strong, nobody would be able to penetrate it anyway... With that conclusion being made, the elder turned his back on the sleeping youth and followed the witch back inside the hut.

They were talking for just half an hour when they heard a loud bang outside, then unnerving silence, steps that closed in on the door, before the handle was pressed down and the old wood budged out of the way, giving sight to the unwelcome guest.

"Horvarth! What a nice surprise visit..", said the elder Merlinean acidly, trying to stay calm while repressing the worry that creeped into his mind. Where was Dave? The other sorcerer seemed to pick up on his thoughts, as a knowing, magisterial smile graced his arrogant features.

"Oh, don't worry about the prime Merlinean, old boy, he's not hurt. In fact, not much of anything anymore either."

The witch could feel the sorcerer beside her tense at those words and a gruesome aura came from him, emitting pure hate. She put a hand on his, but dragged it back as soon as she touched his; he was practically boiling with anger!

"You will pay for this, Horvath", he just said, the calm in his voice frightening her but leaving Horvath unimpressed.

"I don't think so, old boy. Besides, I owe you one. You raised the one who caused me to lose my powers. Now it's your turn to lose everything.."

With that, the chubby man reached into his cloak, pulling out a gun, making the two in front of him slightly flinch. If possible, his smile grew even wider, though his eyes remained cold. He pointed it at his once friend, slightly pulling the trigger, but not yet shooting.  
"One last question, old boy, before I let you join your alumnus. Where is the grimhold?"  
"It won't be of use to you.. Morgana lost her powers just as you did."  
"I don't care. Where is it? Save me some work, I will find it anyway. After I kill the both of you. So tell me: Where is it?"

For a second the elder considered shooting a plasma bolt at his rival. But thinking twice he found this idea to be utterly useless, for he'd be dead by the time he'd collected enough energy to form a sphere. So he instead said; "You won't find it. It's hidden well enough. Go home, Horvath."

The bang that followed his words shattered the air around them before he even felt the bite of a bullet, lodging into his shoulder. He managed to bite back a hiss, but winced from the pain an had to squeeze one eye shut to keep back the tears. The hand of the uninjured arm though wandered to the wound automatically, putting pressure on the bleeding wound. "What do you get from this, Horvath? We've been friends once!", Balthazar tried, feeling desperate but knowing better than to show it in front of the enemy. That one couldn't care less either.

"So you won't answer. I got better things to do, old boy. Let's part here."

Again, the trigger clicked and a bang sounded through the air. But this time, the bullet backfired and went into the wall. When the elders looked up, both found Armatha having cast a shield spell, powerful enough to reflect the missile, a deadly glare to her eyes.

"Go, imbercile. You're trespassing my grounds."

"And who are you to tell me?", Horvath sneered, lowering the now useless weapon, having as much as a disgusted gaze for the witch, who had raised one hand in his direction and growled a low

"Be gone, bastard. Now."

Being unable to do anything further now, Horvath grimly snarling decided for a tactical retreat and was gone through the door the next moment, leaving his target. Said one waited until the other was out of sight, before he slumped against the back part of his chair, a repressed but painful sounding groan escaping his lips, hand pressing his bleeding shoulder and not catching the worried look on the witch's face.

"You need a doctor. I can't do healing magic."  
"I've survived worse.. Let's see if we can save Dave..."  
"He's gone, old boy. He's at a better place now."  
"No.. I can't fail him..", the man ended the conversation and pushed himself up the table's plate and to his legs, standing shakingly for a second or two before striding to the door, staggering a little on the way which caused Armatha to rush to his side, sling his unharmed arm over her shoulder in a manner of supporting him. As they went outside, the unmistakeable stench of fresh blood invaded their nostrils. The witch more felt before she saw Balthazar leave her side and rush to the motionless body, kneel down by it and checking for a pulse. He seemed to have found one, as his expression changed from alarmed to relieved as he slightly shook the youth by his shoulders, softly calling his name. When the youth responded, it was a slightly pain-distorted expression on his face. The chest wound was obvious but not instantly deadly, Dave had been lucky it didn't strike further to the side indeed, but it had drained enough blood of him to weaken the youth a big deal. In fact, if it wasn't treated soon, Horvath would be right after all...

Balthazar straightened up, then stepped back a little, forcing his aching shoulder to relax, and summoned a lite version of the Merlin circle, encircling them with emerald colored flames. It would have to do without the symbols for now, as the big circle was too far away to drag the bleeding youth over there. In fact, moving at all wasn't an option. If he couldn't heal him now, Dave'd be a goner. When the flames flared brightly, he shoved away thoughts and doubts, channeled energy to both his hands, knelt down once again and started to heal his apprentice, both hands pressed to the youth's wound, whose frightening pale face color got a little closer to the snow's around them by each passing second and each drop of blood leaving the body. The wound slowly closed, but life seemed hesistating to return to the shell. As the bullet was pressed out of the healing flesh and the hole closed itself, the skin remained cool and pale. He'd need further help. His master waited for a second, fighting with the decision he was about to make, then took a deep breath and concentrated again; Armatha instantly recognized the magic he was preparing by the sheer aura he emitted.

"Don't. You're too weak. It may kill you, old boy", she warned, but he shook his head.  
"My life should've ended thousand years ago.. Besides, Veronica is waiting for me..."

She didn't know how to reply to that. Looking over to Dave, she wasn't sure if she was imagining it, but something in his half open eyes told her he was against whatever his master planned too. The boy tried to shake his head but didn't manage more than somewhat of a flinch which turned into a pitiful excuse for an outcry, being nothing more than a whisper, when the master's ring started glowing. Something transmitted slowly from him to Dave, resembling sand blown by the wind, entering the younger body with ease and returning color to it's skin bit by bit, steadying his breath to the level of deep and slow.

By the same fraction though, the spell's user got paler, the glowing of his ring flickering a little, his arms still stretched into his apprentice's direction but now increasingly shaking. He panted, as new pain mixed with the older one, when at the same spot where Dave had been shot, right below the previous shot-wound, a second one appeared. Not that he was surprised. He knew the price for this particular spell, but if Dave survived...

"Stop it, old boy, he's out of danger."

"Not.. not yet...", he whispered, the strain evident in his voice, the emerald glow in his ring faltering

more often now, mirroring it's owner's dimishing power. When it finally gave out, the older sorcerer did too, falling to the ground motionless, a puddle of red collecting under him. Armatha rushed over, kneeling beside him and putting a touching hand to his neck, looking for a pulse. Twice. Nothing at all.

Balthazar Blake, master sorcerer of the 777th degree, was dead.

When Dave woke, he found himself sitting on the side of a river he didn't know. It's constant waves soothed him and he closed his eyes to listen. An eerie silence, yet calming. The feeling of eternity, yet it felt like a place of endings. It was then he noticed a movement beside him. As he looked up, he found his master, who sat down beside him that moment.

"B-Balthazar? What are you doing here?"

The elder turned his head to face Dave, seemingly as surprised as his apprentice was. But in contrary to the youth, wisdom was evident in his eyes. He nodded before he spoke, as if to agree with himself that his conclusion was right. But as he looked for words, he didn't find any, so Dave raised his voice again.

"We're not dead, are we?"  
"What makes you think _we_ are dead?"

"I have no idea how we come to be here."  
"I for my part came to kick you back into your body before you follow the _candyman_ over the river."

"What about you? If you came to take me back, let's go!"

With that, Dave jumped to his legs, one hand offered to the elder who looked at it first, then into his apprentice's eyes, smiled nodding.

"Just go. I'll sit here for a while longer."  
"Don't talk bull, man! As if I'd let you stay here!"  
"Remember your promise?"  
"Huh? What-..."  
"We ended the whole ordeal with the Grimhold. Becky will return to you when you go back to New York. You and I, we had a deal, Dave. Let me free. I'm tired."

At those words, Dave frowned. He wasn't serious, was he?

"Armatha will help you home. She also will destroy the Grimhold. Your mission is complete. And so is mine."  
"You're freaking me out... Come on, get up and let's go back home together!"  
"Dave..."

The master shook his head. But he stood. As Dave turned around and followed his gaze, he found out why. A hooded person had landed on the river's shore, standing on a small boat, carrying a long, wooden staff. The face wasn't visible, but the hands were skeletons. Fear overcame the youth, as he turned back to his master who still smiled, but it was a sad one now.

"Time to go, Dave. You'll go home. And so will I."  
"No! NO! I won't let it end like this!"

Desperation bit him as he grasped for his friend's arm, keeping a tight clutch on it and staring furiously into the others eyes, which retorted with resignation.

"Dave. For once behave like the grown-up you are. Do you think I sacrificed everything just so you refuse to go back? Face it, we're going to part ways today. Don't be selfish."  
"Selfish?", he sounded so hurt at that, even if he laughed. A pretty dry laughter. "You're the one to talk. What will I do without you? Who will I train with? Who's gonna zap me if I do something wrong? Come on!"

A chuckle was the only reply he got before Balthazar pressed past him, winding out of his apprentice's vice-like grip in the process and approaching the skeletal creature. Just before he entered the boat though, he turned around one last time, smiling genuinely at him.

"I'm proud of you, Dave. You will become the sorcerer I pictured when we made that oath back then...", he said. "...take care."

With that, he stepped into the boat, sat down, the staff was pressed against the ground and the vehicle floated off the shore, drifting out of sight in mere seconds. For Dave, the sight started to waver, then blurred and became dark.

As sight returned to him, it was accompanied by the warm, wet, salty feeling of tears in his eyes' corners. He felt himself sniveling, as he took a shuddering breath and sat up, startling the woman beside him, who gave it a surprised yelp. It was now that he noticed they were outside, sitting in the snow, probably freezing to death right now and nobody noticed!

"Good, you're back, boy. I was worried for a second you know."  
"What happened..?"

"Why did you let him do that?!", Dave barked at her when they were back in the hut. They'd somehow managed to get the three of them down to the guestroom, where they'd placed the dead sorcerer on the bed and stood beside it now, absorbed by a heated discussion that was led by Dave mainly. Armatha kept calm, just looking at the hurt youth – not hurt physically, but the pain was evident in his eyes -, trying to get a word in this. Everytime she opened her mouth he came up with a new set of accusations, making her shut up once again.

When he finally didn't say another word for a few minutes, she dared to speak again.

"Listen, boy. I really tried to keep him from doing it. I warned him. He didn't listen to me. I can understand why you're angry, but don't you think you should be grateful instead? He sacrificed himself so you may live. Isn't that good enough?"

"No, damnit, it is not good enough! Do you have any idea how often he's saved me? And do you know how often I could pay him back? How dares he to just leave without giving me the chance to be a good friend for once?!"

"I think he knew that. Can't you just calm down a little, boy? I'm getting a serious case of tinnitus from your bellowing!"

She earned a snort for that, but her words did their purpose. The youth seemed to relax, if just by a fraction, and gave it a deep breath. "You're right, I'm sorry for shouting." He looked at the empty shell that had dragged him to Russia in the first place. Closing his eyes from the view and to repress the building up tears, he whispered "What am I going to do now, huh? Now that you're gone..". Armatha heard and saw him sob, but decided to tactfully act as if she hadn't. When he settled down, she said; "I will bring you home. Don't worry about the body, I will cremate it and send you the ashes."

He didn't like the sound of that, but decided to keep quiet about it. It was a nice offer too, after all that happened. Instead of trying to change her mind, he just nodded. When he openend his mouth to ask how exactly he'd get home, she cut him off.

"There's a portal outside, boy. It takes you whereever your heart wishes. All you need to do is to enter the pentagram."

"But isn't that a Morganian-..."

"No, it isn't. It seems your master..." - a painful pang made itself known in Dave's inner at that - "...never learned the difference between Morganian circles and the circles of alchemy. No big deal that you don't know either. This magic is old, very old. Also, teleport isn't exactly science, more like experimental, as all alchemy is, but working nonetheless. Your molecules will wander with light-speed to another force field. It's as simple as that. They will go through whatever grid of molecules passes them. That is teleport, boy. Believe it or walk home."

All Dave could do was stare at her. Was she real? Or nuts? Or both of it? As he kept looking at her with his mouth open like a carp's, she cocked an annoyed eyebrow.

"I need to show you so you believe it, right? Then come."

She led him outside – letting him carry the stuff, which included his own suitcase and the one of his deceased friend since Armatha had told him she didn't want it here -, where the mystical sign was burned into the ground. Now that Dave really looked at it, it really didn't resemble the thing Morgana had summoned all those days ago. The symbols were different and, in fact, the generally dreadful feeling was missing. How could he overlook that?

When the witch knelt down and touched it with both hands, it started glowing. In front of Dave the air suddenly ripped apart – how was that even possible? - and started giving sight to something that looked exactly like a part of his lab! He stared at the phenomenom, switched looks with Armatha, who gave it a winning smile and a nod into the direction of the portal, then took the suitcases and jumped through it.

As he hit the ground – with an not so graceful landing on the backside -, the typical smell of something burnt and old stone met his nose. Darkness surrounded him, only the still open portal gave off a dim shine. Armatha called to him through it.

"David? You alright over there?"

"Yeah.. Thanks a lot!", he replied shouting, for he didn't know if she could hear him clearly. "So that's good-bye, right? Thanks for everything you've done!"  
"You're welcome, boy. Very welcome. I'll send the package with owl mail. See you then!"

With that, the portal closed, before Dave could even think of asking what exactly she meant by 'owl mail', shrouding the turnaround in dark once again. Dave stood, clapping the dust off his clothes before looking for the light switch. As it was found and used, the buzzing lights came to life once again. Everything looked as he'd left it. No signs for burglary, no evidences of epic battles being carried out, his tesla coils were standing where they belonged, nothing was out of place.

Beside one fact, as he noticed, staring at the dark Merlin Circle on the ground. The apprentice looked at it for a while, fists tightly balled to release some stress, teeth pressed together firmly, eyes staring. If he didn't still have the ring, he wouldn't believe the stuff that happened in the last months. He'd start to think the whole ordeal with the Arcana Cabana, the urn, later that chinese dragon, and even Morgana, all had been a strange dream. But here it was, dimly shining on his ring finger, looking back at him, as if asking _Why are you so sad? You're the master now, right?_

But he was no master... Defeated he walked up the stairs and made out for his way home. He could need the sleep. Without even thinking he called "Going home! See you tomorrow, Balthazar!", then he was gone.

_See you tomorrow, Balthazar!_

That voice made him snap up his head, looking around. He sat on a field, leaning backwards against an oak's trunk, covered by it's soothing shade, a book on his lap and his beloved one beside him, sleeping. When he flinched all too slightly, she lifted her head.  
"What is it, my dear?"

"Nothing, beloved. I thought I'd heard something.", Balthazar replied gently to her, bowing a little to kiss her forehead.  
"But here's nobody. Just you and I. And Merlin over there", Veronica said, pointing at a beautiful castle in the distance. "Maybe you are tired, my love. You should rest a bit, too. Don't worry, he will be alright..."

"You're right, beloved. Must be my imagination."

He put the book aside and leaned more against the tree, an arm slung around his wife's shoulders. This indeed was heaven. Perfect weather, nobody to disturb them – as everyone got their private heaven when they died as he'd learned when he got here -, the people he loved around them.. Save one.. But he was to blame for that himself. Ever since that incident doubts had creeped into his mind. He'd pondered about if there'd been other ways to save the boy. If he could've prevented all of this if he'd forced him to get up. He knew how pointless such thoughts were, how distracting their nature. The elder settled with it by convincing himself he was just worried. Not that he'd wished to take Dave with him.. He was a master in his own right now and ought to look out for himself. The boy wouldn't need a teacher anymore. Some rest would be fine now...

With that, he closed his eyes, giving in to some heavenly sleep.

On the other side, a week after Russia...

The shrill noise of the ringing alarm clock ended Dave's peaceful – and god thanks dreamless – slumber. As he sat up in one swift and slightly agitated motion and stared at the infridging object, he at first was in trouble putting a name to the place he was at. As the penny fell, he sighed. That's right, he had gone back home, completely ignored Bennet and just slumped into his bed to sleep the sleep of a dead. Despite having yet to tell the school he was back, he'd set his alarm clock to exact the same time as always without even thinking, speaking of habits!

And now all he could do was sit there and stare holes into the wall as plans for today forged themselves in his pulsing head. He'd have to finally tell Becky he was back. If he didn't let the university know he'd take part in the lessons regulary again they'd probably kick him. But so might Becky. It really was too early for hard decisions (that shouldn't be so hard to solve, as he always could do both in a meaningful order, which had yet to be decided).. so he stood, finding himself in the same clothes he'd carried for three full days by now. Alright then, this was the first thing to change!

Half an hour, a long needed shower and fresh wear later, he'd taken place on the table, eating breakfast with Bennet, who looked at his roommate skeptically, who looked like a zombie and ate like a.. gray wolf? A smile spread on the not so slim youth.

"Had the wolf a rough night?", he asked playfully, hearing the other gulp hard on the cereals and finding himself stared at, before the answer came plain and somewhat dry.

"Yeah. Rough night. Been travelling, remember?"  
"I know, I know, but, you know man, you look like shit, even if it's a week since you came back."

"Thanks a lot, Bennet. That's really picking up, as always."  
"No no, not that. Listen, buddy."

He got up and walked over to the fridge, raising a hand to his favorite calendary, which had the same month as always, the picture featuring a large wolf pack. Dave seemed to pick up on his friend's intentions and moaned tortured.

"Please Bennet, not this again..."

"Do you know what happens if a wolf pack loses a member?"  
"No, but I presume you will tell me."  
"They will howl until they find it, dead or alive."  
"Bennet, please.."  
"And if they don't find it? They'll never stop searching. You look like you didn't even try to howl for whatever or whoever you lost."

Dave wanted to counter that, say he did howl – he didn't, but he'd use the metaphor -, say he had tried to save his packmember. But all he managed to was look down on his slice of bread. His appetite had disappeared by now. The youth kept quiet as Bennet went on.

"Last time I saw you moping like this was when you thought Tank had run away. You wanted your missed pack member back!"

The blond looked up at Bennet, blinking. He didn't quite remember the story, but now that Bennet mentioned it, it rang some bells. But what was he going on about..?

"You howled for him and he came back. Yes, he was in the laundry basket all the time and we went out into the night to look for him. But that's not the point, Dave!", Bennet went on, waiting for an answer of the silent roommate this time. As he got none, he felt impatience rise and put one hand to his side, the other raised with an out-stretched pointer, getting as much as a surprised look from Dave.

"Howl for it Dave. Put your nose on the ground and search for the trace. And, most important: Don't give up on your pack member."  
"He is dead..", Dave whispered, catching his room mate's attention, who hadn't expected an answer anymore by now. As he didn't quite get the words, he asked.

"What?"  
"The pack member you talk about... is dead. He died to protect me.."

Again, the table was more bearable to stare at than the confused and empathic eyes of his friend.

"I'm sorry pal.. Didn't know..."  
"Nevermind, Bennet. You're right. I should find what's left of my pack before they leave me to be eaten by a hungry musk ox..."  
"Bear.."  
"Whatever..."

Dave rose, leaving his breakfast behind and was out of the door before Bennet even had the chance to throw something cheery after him. Not that he cared. Maybe he was lucky and Becky wouldn't ask...

Talking about luck, Dave's had run out.

Of course he'd met Becky on the subway, and of course she'd asked him why he looked like _magic had left him.._ (He'd actually flinched hard at that, why was she always so perceptive?) After which, she'd dragged him out the subway on the next station and sat him on a bench, sitting down beside him and holding both his hands in her own, fixating his eyes with hers.

"Now.. tell me.", she said, keeping the firm look up, effectively disabling him from breaking the eye contact. He gulped hard, took a deep breath and let it out, adjusted his posture a little, coughed. Twice.

When his avoidance tactics didn't work, he again breathed in deeply, then spoke. He told her about his _uncle _(she'd made a face at that, clearly seeing the lie in his eyes but keeping quiet for the moment), retold why they'd set out on a journey in the first place, reaffirmed to her that he loved her over everything in the world which made her blush but not look away, and after he was done, softly called her name when she didn't speak. It got her out of her trance, but it was her turn to keep silent. Only after a few minutes she broke her hush.

"I'm sorry", was all she said, a sympathetic look in her eyes and a reaffirming pressure sqeezing his hands. Dave smiled, tried to laugh, but sighed too heavily to be believeable and untangled one hand to feign a sudden runny nose, wiping it ungracefully with the sleeve of his jacket, but successfully repressing a sob. This would be too embarrassing in public, even if he felt like it. Badly in fact. The other thing he felt was Becky's hands which laid around his shoulders and pulled him forwards until his forehead touched her shoulder. "It's alright. Let it out.", she cooed, sensing her boyfriend's distress.

He didn't make a sound, but by the warm, wet feeling on her shoulder and the slight twiches of his shoulders and back, she knew the valves had opened. Soothing she stroked his wild hair, ignoring the rudely staring passengers who walked by. Somewhere between the silent breakout she heard him whisper "I miss him, Becky.." and softly answered "I know.. but look.. as long as you think of the people you hold dear, they're never quite gone.."

She knew just how pathetic she sounded. Talking about cliche-bashing! But it worked wonders for Dave, whose tear-stained face looked up at hers, waiting and wanting for her to continue. It consternated her a little, as it confronted every concept of a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship she'd ever anticipated (normally boys were the ones to comfort their girls, not the other way around), but then she smiled reassuringly. "Yes, Dave. Don't forget him and he'll ever be right.." - she pointed at his left chest - ".. there."

And again, water visibly collected in her boyfriends eyes, so she pulled him close again, trying to console him, who by now openly sobbed, finally hugging him into a tight embrace.

Later that day, after having lunch at Kentucky fried chicken, they parted. Becky was late for an errant – ensuring Dave he wasn't to blame even if he, theoretically, was – and left her Boyfriend, who by now was more or less mentally stable again, mounting a bus and waving good-bye from the side-windows, until he was out of sight.

As Dave looked after her, he couldn't help but feel down once again. He hadn't planned to bawl his eyes out on her and felt like a crybaby now, but better. It really had helped. And the fact that she'd even listenend to him instead of letting him alone seemed like a good sign. Maybe she wasn't mad at him anymore after all, huh?

The pack had found him after he gave a it a good howl...

Time to move with it before he got lost again.

The school adminstration seemed to understand his situation.

Given the fact he'd missed a whole month, they recommended him to take some extra lessons to catch up on the stuff though and expected a report on his travels for geography (it would help his grade they said so he agreed, even if he knew he'd change some facts for less unbelieveable ones). Other than that, he was given another week to reorganize his life before they'd expect him back at the lectures.

He left the university a bit more light-hearted than before, as he'd expected more problems. A week was plenty of time to get a better grip on himself so he didn't start crying in the middle of the lessons or something likewise. Not that he felt like it. Even if Becky wasn't a sorceress, she had her own magic, which showed whenever someone was in trouble. Back in fourth grade, she had been the one to stop fights between classmates and bring comfort to whoever was crying, kinda like a mother. Back then, the dispute settlement class was founded, just to be dissolved after they left for college. Ten years, a short time to speak of, but a long time to actually live...

Dave didn't even notice how his feet had carried him back to the appartement, up into his room to peel themselves out of the much too pointy shoes, and his left-over bodyparts, which worked together to put him back below a bedsheet. The last autonomous action was done by his eyes, that just closed and put his tired brain into a tight sleep, ending the endless string of thoughts and memories.

"You want to go back?"

Merlin raised an eyebrow at his apprentice, who stood before him, arms folded in a resolute manner, his beloved beside him, she having a worried look on her face and looking around between them. She wasn't quite sure whose side to take and it became obvious, as she was quite nervous.

"Yes. There has to be a way."

The old master sighed, shaking his head.

"Balthazar, I understand how you feel. But you need to let go. Your life is as much over as mine is. And yes, I know why you want to change that. Listen closely, my student. Even if there was a way for a dead person to go back to life, it would have consequences. You never could return here for example. If you die again, you would go straight to hell."

At that, Veronica gasped, her hands raised to her mouth in shock, before she sharply turned at her husband, who was deep in thoughts, his forehead in thousand folds. Was he really considering..? She had to keep him from making a wrong decision.

"Don't do it.. if anything were to happen to you, we'd never meet again..."

"Beloved.."  
"No! Listen Balthazar, we can be together for all eternity here! You don't need to go back."  
"Did you watch the soul mirror lately..?"  
"Eh?"

The thing he mentioned was something he'd found out about quite recently. It was less of a standard mirror than a pond, working like a television, allowing the afterlife's inhabitants to watch what happened on earth. Of course he was there when Veronica looked for him. When she looked over his shoulder, she always would see the same and it enraged her. Why was he so obsessed with this boy? Even now?

"He needs my help. He may be the prime Merlinean, but he's still a child, Veronica. A puppy without parents to feed it. A lost lamb at best."  
"But you're no shepherd, my love... He needs to grow up alone."  
"Not if I can help it.."

"But you can't." cut Merlin's voice harshly into their discussion, making them both flinch and turn their attention to him again. As they did, his features softened a little.

"Stay here. It's for the best."

"Please, Master.. there has to be-..."  
"No. I'm sorry, Balthazar."

With that, the white-bearded master turned away, ending the conversation and sending his apprentices off. As they left the castle, Veronica was depressed and her husband fuming. While she tried to talk to him, he kept quiet, both hands in his coat's pockets – lately he'd been wearing it more often again – walking in front of her, his steps striding. She'd rarely seen him this angry. And when she did, it always had resulted in him taking action. And she knew, she'd have to stop this from

happening. They wouldn't run into Morgana, who was trying to take over the castle, not now and not here, for it was past, but impatience always resulted in disasters. And her husband was impatience in persona right now!

"Please..", the sorceress tried again, closing up on him and finally putting both hands on his shoulders. He stood still now, but didn't turn around. Veronica felt him shaking. It took all he had for him to stay as composed as that. "You need to calm down, my dear..", she said, leaning her head against his back. "Merlin only wants the best for you." No answer was given. They spent a while standing on the field, none saying another word. The wind surrounded them, blew past the pair and whispered all kinds of soft words. The minutes passed, then, finally, the man broke the silence.

"Beloved.. For over thousand years, all that time, I wished for us to be united forever. It was my reason to complete my quest. The only reason find the prime Merlinean in the first place. Now that you're free, I'd love to stay with you and have some peace at last. But Dave needs me. You didn't see his face. Horvath is still out there. If Dave stays the way he is, he will fall prey to him. The world still depends on him, even with Morgana gone, you know that."

She nodded at that, even if she hated to admit he was right. But Merlin said there was no way for him to go back, right?

"Yes... he may have said that.. but.. there's still a chance. You did see the clock tower, right?"  
"My love... we can't go into it to get yours..."

"We can. If we work together, nothing can stop us, Veronica."

Finally he turned around to face her, determination in his storm blue eyes. She knew that look all

too well. It meant that he wouldn't waver at whatever occupied his mind, whatever she or anyone else said or did. He would follow his plans, with or without her help. But since she loved him dearly, did she even have a choice to begin with?

"When do we go?", she asked, a shy smile on her lips, her ears hearing the relieved sigh of her loved one, who just took her into his arms as answer.


	6. Chapter 6

Dave's day had been another disaster.

He'd lived through physics – saying a lot about a nerd like him -, withstood the urge to point out the nerve system's powers in biology, even solved a few problems in maths. But in history he slept. Literally. The teacher threw him out and that was about as much about it. After that, he'd missed the bus, had to walk home while all heavens decided to team up against him, sending their most powerful rain to soak him to the bones.

As he reached home, he was looking not only depressed and tired, but wet too! All he wanted now was a hot bath, followed by a warm bed and a night of good sleep, he didn't care it was early afternoon by now either. Walking up the stairs he found himself leaving trails of water on the steps, hoping nobody saw them lead to his apartment and make him mop up all of it. This would've been today's climax. Luckily, he got into the dwelling without a problem, closing the door soundly behind him with a sigh of relieve.

"Hey bud'", he heard Bennet call from the living room, the roaring of a television in the background. "You, might come over and watch the news.."

"What? Did they invent a drug against the cold now?"

Saying that, Dave threw aside his sneakers and backpack, hung up the drenched jacket and made his way into the living room, to find his room mate sitting on the couch, a glass coke in his hands, eyes pinned on the screen.

"They said just a few minutes ago someone fell from a skyscraper. They're trying to find out how the man got up there in the first place."  
"A suicid then?"  
"Probably.. Failed too", Bennet said, taking a sip of the caffeinated suger water, pointing at the television with one offstanding ring finger. "They call it the miracle of New York. That man isn't even scraped."

Dave raised an eyebrow at that. Falling at least 100 metres deep usually _killed_ people, it didn't leave them without as much as a scratch. He turned to look at the man who either was too lucky for his own good or damn skilled in whatever extreme sports he practiced – and horribly failed at. As the camera switched from a utterly distressed female reporter and turned to the victim, Dave yelped so hard that Bennet nearly spilled his coke in a startled flinch. "Are you _insane_, man?!", the dark-skinned cursed, his pulse racing and anger rising up, but latter feeling was being sufficated by the view his friend gave. Or rather, the sight he did not give as Dave rushed out of the room and Bennet heard the door shut with a loud bang without as much as a 'bye'.

Turning back to the television he thoughtfully scratched his head. He further inspected the man, that was being loaded into an ambulance right now – as it was a live stream for once -, finding it interesting that a man could have so many rings on both hands...

Again, he was running through the thick lines of water that rained down on him. Only this time, the youth didn't care. He nearly tackled two or three people who called after the rushing boy, one cursing after him, but even that was dismissed. There was no time. He'd seen _him_ laying there. Dave knew this was impossible. On the other hand, with sorcery, nothing was impossible, everything had become _quite_ possible. But that would be a completely new level.

He'd recognized the street on television. And the shop in the background. It was now a mobile phone store, but not ten years ago. He forced his legs to go faster.

When he finally reached his destination, the whole thing was over with already. Police had finished their work, the tv teams were packing in, having found one hell of a story to repeat over and over for the next weeks to come, and the ambulance was gone. Dave knew where to find it of course, but his legs refused another run so he just sank on the wet side walk to his knees and stared to the cloudy sky, from where raindrops were still falling to no end. Closing his eyes against the infriging droplets and choosing to ignore the passing by people, he kept sitting there for a while.

Until a hand touched his shoulder, making him flinch.

"You'll catch a cold, Dave", someone said behind him. A male voice, that nearly had him laughing out loud. He'd heard it since that incident in Russia and, by now, deemed it another hallucination. He shook his head, smiling broadly. Even the touch on his shoulder was probably nothing else than his own imagination, right?

He chuckled softly, then laughed openly over his own stupidity as he turned his head to look in the direction the voice came from. Of course, nothing was there. Again, he laughed, still ignoring the now scared bystanders and their comments of the likes of _someone should call the police_ and _there's another nutcase _as he stood, slowly turning back the way his head should be.

He shouldn't have done it.

Storm-blue eyes, shrouded by a lined face with three-days-beard, a black hat and dark blond hair, followed by a long coat, stared at his sceptically, causing the startled youth to jump backwards with a yelp and land badly and hard on said back, feeling his heart race and backside ache.

"Are you insane?!", he barked at the appearance, which gave it a crocked smile and two raised fingers. Dave sighed. Now, that was typical.

"Very funny, man."  
"I know. Come."

He took the astonishing materialistic hand that was offered by the other and was lifted to his feet, firmly held by _two_ astonishing materialistic hands to his shoulders. He now knew he probably was dreaming and was supposed to wake up soon after he realized it. The apprentice decided to make the best of it if he was right.

"Good to see you, Balthazar.."  
The man raised an eyebrow at that. "Good to see you too, Dave.."

"So, how you've been doing?"  
"Can't we discuss this somewhere else?"  
"No, because I'm sure I'll wake up soon and cry my eyes out again. Thanks a lot!"  
"You think this is a dream?"  
"You're dead, aren't you?"  
"Come", the elder said, taking his probably out-of-mind student with him by that one's hand and dragged him to the next subway entrance, out of view and hearing range. It was there when he let go of the freezing cold limb and turned to face Dave again. He wished he hadn't. The boy wasn't only shaking, he was openly sobbing and his face definitely wasn't wet just from the rain by the way water streamed down from his eyes that were fixated on him as if he'd.. seen a ghost maybe? The master decided to snap his apprentice out of it.

"I sure hope you're not pulling a 'David-Stutler' now, do you?"  
"V-very funny. Is there a comedian school up there?"  
"Get yourself together, Dave. I don't want you to end in psychiatric ward."

"Too late, Balthazar, much too late. Been there ten years ago, from ten to fifteen. Thanks a lot for reminding me!", he wailed, literally.

This was starting to cause his opposite a serious headache. He wasn't made to deal with mentally broken apprentices.. a sigh was threatening to show itself and pressed back to make room for a deep breath before Balthazar spoke on.

"Dave, listen. And listen closely. I am not dead. This isn't some dream either. If you don't pull together, I'll plasma bolt you home and then follow you to make you train till you drop, understand?" He didn't care if he sounded as stressed as he was. All he cared about was getting out of the cold and, maybe even more important, keep his apprentice from falling over from exhaustion in body and mind. The youth nodded, even if it was a shaky gesture. If this was a hallucination, it was a pretty authentic one!

"Good. Can you walk?"

Another nod. He'd loved to have heard Dave say it, but it would do for now.

"Alright then. Follow me."

Dave did so, still not quite believing what he saw. If he'd ever been close to a nervous breakdown, it was now. His mind couldn't quite catch up with the recent events. Not quite wasn't even cutting it. Not at all maybe more.. He followed his master, who he still believed to be some kind of phantom, until they came to the railroad tracks, where he stood and waited for his distraught apprentice, who wiped his running nose with his sleeve, sniffing most pitiful. Buying two tickets he gestured the trembling youth to a bench, making him sit down on it first before joining.

"... can you tell me how this is possible..?", Dave finally asked in a tear-stricken voice, croaky and barely audible.

"I could, but it's more than you could bear right now, Dave. Wait till we get home, then I'll enlighten you."  
"No.. if this is a dream..", Dave started again, but the scolding glare of the other sorcerer made him shut his mouth before the sentence was even completed.

"It isn't. For now, believe it. And calm down, for heaven's sake"

His tone had been harsher than intended, which made Dave cringe visibly, adding to Balthazar's bad conscience instantly. He leaned back, blowing some hot air off with a snort, closing his eyes, thinking on how to comfort the upset youth somehow. The master knew how Dave felt, he'd been like this when Merlin died too. But unlike Dave, he didn't have had the time to mope around. Back then, moping could get one killed. And he had a mission to fill back then, even if he hadn't known just how long it would take, and if he had known, he'd probably appropriately grieved too.

Forcing his thoughts into a different direction, he looked at Dave again, who still kept silently staring back at him, his eyes betraying the mistrust of this whole situation. This was what Balthazar had been afraid of.. Seeing his apprentice and friend break down like this. And it was his fault, too.

Somehow at least.

The subway came and the sorcerers entered without another word between them, settling down on anthe seats and keeping balance as the vehicle rolled on again and leaving it as their station was announced later.

The turnaround was as Dave had left it the day before. An experiment had backfired because his thoughts hadn't been quite with him and now the tesla coils were ruined beyond repair; the stench of scorched metal in the air as master and apprentice came down the stairs. By now, Dave could walk half-way steady again, but still didn't speak much. All he did was sitting down on the lowest step, the head resting on the folded hands, staring into the barely lit room. His master sat down just two steps above – he'd taken place beside the youth for the sake of being on the same eye-level of course, but some physical requirements such as enough space between him and the handrail just weren't met the way Dave had placed himself -, waiting for his student to break the silence.

As he didn't, Balthazar did. He tried to lighten up the mood a little, which was hanging like a black cloak over the place.

"So, this is how you greet your master who threw away paradise to come back to New York city?", he asked in a playful harsh tone, a strange mixture, intending on luring Dave out of his shell. It usually worked nicely. Make him a little angry or hurt him a bit to break his mental shield. But not today. The shield had a large crack already.

"... do you have any idea what I've been going through?", was the unexpected resignating answer, that hoarsely and dry echoed back. As there was no reply, Dave went on. "Just how many times do you expect me to see you die without snapping? Tell me, Balthazar."

Just as the elder was about to answer that, Dave spoke again, now, that the shell had finally broken down completely, leaving an utterly hurt youth vulnerable to the world.

"I went through hell since Russia! My grades are suffering, because I couldn't concentrate! I've been trying to tell me it wasn't my fault but it didn't work! I kept seeing you everywhere I've been! Heard your voice, turned around each time, am deemed nuts by my classmates by now..."

With that, he sharply turned around to his older friend, who blinked in surprise at the sudden outbreak. "And the worst of all..", the youth got silent all of a sudden, turning his back on his master once again. ".. I missed you a big deal, old man." He felt his shoulder being gripped firmly in a reassuring touch. He looked up, trying to act bravely and – most of all – don't cry, but he failed miserably at both, when he saw the compassion in his friend's eyes. Now, more than before, he looked like a lost child in need for comfort, snivelling and crawling up the steps until he sat beside the older sorcerer, leaning against the surprised man, taking in the familiar scent of old leather and something undefinable.

"You know, Dave.. it's the first time you are being honest with me", the master said after a while, making Dave's head snap up in a try to protest, but was cut off.

"Let me finish. If I'd known what I do to you I wouldn't have casted _that_ spell. There could have been other ways. I presumed you'd get over it like I did when I was your age. I was wrong. Can you accept my humble apology for throwing you into hell?"

".. do you have to _ask_? How can I hold it to you that you saved me.. _again_?" There was the hint of a teary smile when he said that, lifting the spell of dread from the both of them. "You know, it's the first time you actually _apologise_ for something too... We should mark the day in the calendar. Like 'the great day of firsts' or something..."

A nudge to his side was the only answer, before Balthazar stood and went down the stairs, going a few steps, turned around to Dave who raised an eyebrow questioning, and said  
"Come, Dave. Let's resume where we stopped, shall we?"

* * *

The youth smiled at that and nodded, allowing everyday life – and _life_ itself – to return to him, half jumping down the steps and joining his master in the circle that came back to life as well.

After that, everything slowly went back to normal.

Dave's grades gradually recovered and actually became better than ever. Even Balthazar couldn't oversee his apprentice's improvements in both, school – for some reason the youth came to him each time he'd received a test now - and magic. There was a kind of shine in the young eyes, which had been missing for quite a long time. Maybe, thought Balthazar in a quiet moment, that was the Dave from ten years ago. The very same boy who'd entered his shop in search for a small, yellow letter. As he thought about it, it all came back to him. He'd forgotten something essential all the time and now where the trouble was over, it really itched him to fix that particular problem.

He'd reclaim his shop. Right now before anything else came to keep him busy. But as any plan, this one needed some preparations. Nicely asking and scaring tactics hadn't worked. Time for plan B.. The master left a short letter for his apprentice, grabbed both his coat and and hat, before he left the turnaround behind.

"Balthazar?", asked Dave when he arrived an hour later. A quick look to the wall clock told him he wasn't actually late, more like in-time for a change, for their appointment at six in the evening. In fact he wanted to show his master the A++ he got for _The nervous system _in Biology. He wanted to tell him of the stupid faces his classmates had made when he told them how everything worked to an extend that surpassed the textbooks. He wanted so describe in the brightest colors what the teacher had said and, most of all, he wanted to spend some quality time with his best pal.

But that pal wasn't there as he hit the bottom with an enthusiastic step. Even calling him a second time didn't end in an answer, causing him to frown slightly. Putting down his bag beside the staircase, the youth walked around, looking for any signs, if there were any, for an assaulter or whatever might've happened and overlooked the letter.

By the time he finally found it, he was all nervous and jittery, having all kinds of scenarios in his head. Reading the writings, he gave relieved sigh. Which was quickly replaced by sceptism.

_"Righting what's wrong. Don't wait for me, levitate some stuff until I come back. - Balthazar" _

Nothing wrong with levitating, but for some reason he couldn't picture his master reasoning with some shop owners without the store blowing up in the end... or worse. Shaking his head, the apprentice cleared his mind from the unlikely picture. Balthazar wasn't that kind of explosive. He better started doing stuff now before he was found loitering...

About two hours later, Dave jumped awake by the sound of a metallic door opening. The chairs he'd used for practice laid around him, definitely not levitating. Concluding he'd fallen asleep, the apprentice peeled off the floor and stood, stretching and barely keeping a yawn inside, looking up the stairs, where the sound of descending steps was heard from as the master joined him in the chamber, a sweet smile on his face – rather creepy in fact – and a rolled paper in his ringed hand. When he saw Dave, he frowned a little, as if he hadn't expected the youth to be here, then shook his head as he remembered why exactly the boy was there.

"Hello Dave..", he called, half leaning over the handrail of the small platform, grinning down on his apprentice, who greeted back. "What's that?", the younger sorcerer finally asked, pointing at the thing the elder brought.

"Oh, nothing. Just an owner's license."  
Dave cocked an eyebrow at that. "Of what? Did you finally purchase an apartment?"

It was meant as a joke, but the, _the_, glare Dave got, made him shrink and lift both hands in defense. Balthazar snorted and replied; "No. Well, not only. There may be room upstairs, but the main part is for business."

It finally clicked.

"Can I tell you what I think?"  
"Tell me what you think."  
"I think you bought back the Arcana Cabana and are trying to re-open it now."  
"Wrong in two parts, Dave. First, it's a mobile phone store now if you remember..."

- Both made a face at that, Dave feeling stupid and Balthazar feeling hesistant of wanting to even think about it, he continued anyway - "... and I'm not trying to, but doing so. And you will help me with it."

"What could _you_ possibly need help with?"

"For once, recovering the goods the city administration unrightfully sold. We'll need to locate them. There's a lot of potential dangerous stuff among it. Also, the rooms upstairs might need some polishment before they're suitable for living."  
"I see.. so you've done quite an errant, huh?"

Again, he felt like a fool, stating the obvious, lowered his head in submission before his master even said a word. But he felt the questioning look on his shoulders. "We'll skip training for today", the elder then said, oblivious to the fact he already had his apprentice train more than his usual share today, which was a reason for Dave to look up, pointing wordlessly – but open mouthed – at the furnishings, trying to get a clear statement out, but stuttering in utter dismay at the obviously forgotten effort he'd done.

Blinking twice, Balthazar finally got the clue and raised from the rail, descended on the stairs and stood beside the apprentice, patting him on the shoulder, making the blonde frown in confusion and close his mouth.

"Well, since you went forth and practised, let's see how well you can do it", he said, turning around, stepping back into the shadows and looking expectantly at Dave, who was quite at a loss, before he caught himself and sprinted back to the circle, cleared his mind in record time and made the chairs slowly raise before they formed a ring that wobbled around him in a wide radius. Proud of himself he looked over to Balthazar who gave it an aknowledging nod.  
"Not bad. How long can you keep them up?"

"I've done it two hours!"

"Let's see it."

That made Dave nearly lose his concentration – and his temper too! But before that happened, he forced back the urge to strangle the elder and focused on the spell once again, chanelling all energy to keep all at a steady pace. He would show him, hrmph...!

Oh yes. He had _shown_ him alright.

One and a half hour he'd levitated the chairs until they started to drop, one by one, clattering to the ground, some breaking, some unharmed. As the last one fell, Dave also did, panting and exhausted beyond believe. He heard steps and looked up to see Balthazar stand beside him, looking down on him, an amused look on his features.

"That wasn't quite two hours..", he said loud enough to cover the distance, sparking Dave's flame once again, but before the apprentice could jump up and at his master, said one spoke on, coming closer again, so he wouldn't have to shout. "But you made progress, concentrating that long. As reward, I'll treat you to a pizza."

Instantly, life returned to the beaten youth, who jumped to his legs in one swift motion. Over-estimating his vigor though, he felt them buckle under him and he was spared a painful fall just because the man beside him caught him by the shoulders, shaking his head in disbelieve at how someone could be that reckless, but not commenting the foolishness of his apprentice. When Dave gave the impression of being able to at least stand alone again, Balthazar released him and stepped back one step, looking at the trembling appearance of the younger sorcerer, sighing.

"Alright. Sit down on one of these..", he said, motioning to the chairs and summoning over Dave's phone, ".. and then order two pizzas; make one of it hawaii."

The phone was given to it's blinking owner, who took one chair by the backrest and set it on it's four legs before falling heavily on it and dialing the number of the delivery service – like most students, a limited timeframe between school and home had him memorise the frequently called number by now so he didn't need to look it up. As the order was completed and he closed the phone, he leaned back, glad about the rest. Peeking over to the elder sorcerer, he found him backwards leaning on the table where the Encantus laid, studying the document he'd brought, his reading glasses sitting neatly on the nose bridge.

A question was pressing.

"How did you do it?"  
"Come again?", the talked-to retorted, looking up over the glasses at Dave.

"I thought you'd given up on regaining your shop.."  
"For once, Dave, it's not a shop but a store."  
"Come on..!"  
"They claimed my grounds unrightfully. I offered them a lawsuit and they complied. That's all about it..."

"Oh."

If Dave hadn't known better, he could've pictured his master standing before the owners, a mindspell over them, and talking them into accepting the deal. But as Balthazar was Merlinean, he probably wouldn't do that... not even for payback... right? It was then Dave noticed he'd stared at Balthazar, who smirked after probably hearing every single thought, making the youth blush furiously in embarrassment and look away.

"Don't worry, Dave", was all he said, before he returned to reading the document, the smile still present and unwavering. It made the apprentice uncomfortable and relieved at the same time. Another thing bothered him though, but he didn't dare to ask it. Not even thinking was an option. So he decided to ask later, leaning back on the stool, sighing contently. He heard a chuckle from the side and smiled a small smile too.

It was good now.

The nightmare finally was over.


	7. Chapter 7

As the weeks went by though, it kept itching in the back of his mind. As he walked through the central park with Becky, his thoughts kept wandering to the last events. It had been quiet since then, no sign of Horvath, Morgana probably was out of the world for good too, and his friend and master had returned to his old demandor. They'd found some of his stuff on ebay – which had irritated Balthazar more than he was ready to admit -, others had been sold to unknown buyers, while a big deal of the magic items wasn't to be found at all. The store on the other hand made nearly daily progress. Yesterday they'd fixed the bedroom upstairs and even put some furniture into it. Balthazar had said they'd be training today though, so Dave had decided to use that bit of freetime to spend it with Becky, who appreciated it. Dave had noticed another thing about his friend and master. He looked more often worn out these days, and it wasn't because of the renovation work – as they used their powers to do most of the work, at least Balthazar did while Dave had to do everything manually ("You won't mess it up a second time.") -, as far as the young apprentice could tell. But Balthazar being himself he wouldn't share his thoughts. And that was what bothered the young apprentice. The elder hadn't said a thing about what had happened. As far as Dave knew, dead couldn't just come back to life. It contradicted any logical explaination and broke any law of nature. Not that he wasn't glad that a seemingly miracle had happened that day. But for crying out loud, it bugged him! Knowing his master he probably had pulled off some stunts to bend the rules, even in heaven – or hell, who knew where sorcerers ended. If there were consequences to worry about, Dave thought himself to have the right to know so he could defend his master if needed.

Becky called his name, effectively destroying his concentrated pondering. He looked up and into her smiling face, finding her standing before him, a hand outstretched into his direction. The youth took it, returning the smile and walked on beside her.

"You know Dave..", she started after a while. "I... got something I need to tell you.."

"What.. what is it?", he asked back, when she hesitated, and even stood, forcing her to stand as well.

"This one thing... you know..", she struggled for words. ".. I'm pregnant."

Now, _that_ got the young sorcerer off-guard. He blinked twice, his brain working on comprehending the newly acquired information. As it sickered in, his smile became even wider.

"That's great, Becky!", he exclaimed, pulling her into a tight embrace which left her playfully wheezing at the strong grip that surrounded her.

"It is?", she asked out of breath when Dave finally let her go. He nodded enthusiatically.

"Of course it is! I'm becoming a daddy!"

She bit her lip and Dave raised an eyebrow at that. "Erm.. what is it?", he asked again.

"That's not all... ... there was this guy... while you were gone.. and that party.. someone drugged me and I woke naked the next morning.."  
It clearly was embarassing to her, but Dave just stared. "So, what?"  
"I ... just... want to... say.. you know, don't get your hopes up too much, I don't know who it is from.."  
"I'm sure it's mine", Dave said with confidence, which made Becky smile reassured, before they continued their walk in loving union.

"What if it's not mine?!"

Balthazar sighed, as he looked at his apprentice, who stood in the midst of the Merlin's circle, discussing this utterly long-lived topic. He'd tried to get him off that a few times by now and to get the young student to concentrate, as the spell he was supposed to learn wasn't easy and at best dangerous. To control large-scale vacuum spheres, you need to be focused. And Dave was everything but focused right now, so the elder really thought of calling it a day and talking Dave out of it. A thought struck his mind though.

"You know, you could check if it's yours, Dave", he said, making Dave lose the red line, cutting off any words that were about to be spit out. As Balthazar got his apprentice's attention, he went on.

"If it's your descendant, it might have magical abilities"

"A baby?"  
"Yes, Dave, even a sorcerer's baby has the spark that may kindle the fire of sorcery. It all depends on the child though. Interests, talent, how much blood it shares with the sorcering parent."

"Wait.. we've gone through that in biology. A child always has exactly half of each parents' genes! How can there be a share of blood deciding on the.."  
"Did you ever notice that some children resemble more of one parent than the other?"  
"Yeah, sure.. but that's all about.."

"We're going in circles, Dave. I said it's among other things depending on the blood. There have been born sorcerers in families with no magic at all. You on the other hand have not much of Merlin's blood, but interests that helped you in learning the arts and still does. It is always those three factors, Dave."  
"But how am I supposed to know if it's my baby?"  
"Just put your hand on Becky's belly when you see her the next time. You will see the magic at work then. Can we go on now?"  
"S-sure.."  
"Very well."  
With that, Balthazar closed his eyes for a moment, obviously consoling whatever dreaded power, before the air around Dave began to flare. When the youth blinked the next time, he afterwards saw a huge fireball flying straight at him. Yelping he built up a shield, which was broken down easily. Out of sheer reflex he willed the air around him to pull back, which stopped the fireball in it's tracks and made it's glow become darker by each heartbeat until it vanished. By the time it did, Dave was gasping for air, which relucantly returned to it's original place, filling the vacuumed space with the much needed oxygen. As if from afar, he heard Balthazar praise.

"Excellent. But you need to work on that shortage of breathing if you want to use the technique. Again!"

Dave moaned, feeling dizzy from the experience before and looking desperately at his master, who raised an eyebrow at that. When it became evident the youth wouldn't react – he still stood there like a mannekin, arms dangling low on the slumped shoulders while the body panted for air -, the elder scratched his head thoughtfully and then called

"Let's stop here. We won't get further today."

"N-no, I'm alright. We can.."  
"You are not alright, Dave. When I tell you we're stopping, we will."

Only a nearly inaudible grumbling was the answer.

"Come again?", the master called, making his apprentice flinch and reply a "Nothing" while sitting down on the cold floor, staring at his pointy shoes. It was the settling in silence that finally encouraged him to ask.

"How about you..?"

Two storm blue eyes fixated on him, making him uncomfortable but not silent.

"You've been strange these days, Balthazar.."  
"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean.. Staring absentminded holes in a wall – and I mean it, thanks a lot again!"

"You're welcome."

"But that's not the point!"  
"What is then?"  
"I just thought you'd be devasted at losing Veronica and all.."

It was then, Dave realized he'd made a mistake. Raw pain registered in the other sorcerer's eyes, which still locked with his. For a while, nothing was said. Then;

"Thank you, Dave", Balthazar said, his tone somewhere between sharp and depressed, adding weight to the youth's bad conscience instantly. "I nearly forgot that I miss her day in, day out, to train an ungrateful apprentice who seems to find pleasure in reminding me of it."

It was the first time he'd been that direct with Dave. While Dave was too shocked about being ranted at to even reply, much less being able to counter, Balthazar averted his gaze by turning his back on Dave, sighing to get rid of some hot steam that threatened to unload on the apprentice - not quite the Merlinean way. Nor was it Dave's fault. So, to prevent further escalation, Balthazar said;  
"Go home. We'll talk tomorrow."  
"Listen.. I'm sor-..."  
"Just go."

The youth complied, unwilling to cause more damage than he'd unknowingly done. As he went up the stairs he once turned around, looking back to the elder who'd taken seat in the Merlin Circle's center, back to the stairs, obviously unwilling to talk. With that, Dave hurried up the last steps and slipped through the door.

Balthazar heard the exit close with a clank and breathe out slowly. He regretted snapping at Dave. The boy really wasn't to blame, more like reasonably worried. His choice of words could've been more refined, sure, but Dave hadn't done it on purpose, the master knew. He'd make up for it later. But for now, he tried hard to concentrate. Forcing all thoughts out of his mind he closed his eyes, breathing deep for a while. As his head started to feel light from it and everything from hearing to the cold feeling of the stone floor slowly disintegrated, colors started to spread before his still closed eyes. They mixed into a blinding white, before everything went back to darkness, which again dissolved, until he saw mist. By that time, he didn't even feel his body anymore.

So it had worked.

Silently smiling he walked through the area. Stretching out the mental tendrils he explored the area for enemies or allies, finding nothing. He felt only one person closeby, and she was waiting for him, and stormed in his direction as they saw each other. As she was in reach, she jumped into his arms into a tight embrace.

"My dear..!", Veronica whispered, snuggling up to him, while he just whispered back in the most loving manner.

"Love..", she said again, this time looking up at him. "Didn't I warn you? You shouldn't come back.. it's dangerous!", she exclaimed, but he just smirked playfully.  
"Don't worry. We're alone, beloved"

"But if they find out..!"  
"There's no punishment in heaven, beloved. If there was, it wouldn't be heaven, right?"

"I'm glad you came...", she suddenly breathed as if to avoid the topic. Balthazar noticed, but let it drop. Instead of pushing the matter further, he confessed to her;  
"I can't live without you..."  
"Don't say that. You went back to care about Dave. He should be your reason to live!"  
He chuckled softly. Veronica was so cute when she was upset! "Just kidding. But I miss you down there. And Dave does too."  
"I doubt that. He doesn't like me, because you'd prefer me over him. Even if it's untrue."  
"He's right, dear. I would choose you over my own life."

"You've always been like this... Making my hair gray prematurely!"

Another chuckle of his and her heart danced a little.

"It didn't do anything to your beauty..."

He said that and held her as close as ever to her, enjoying the time, as he knew just how precious it was. Staying out of his body for too long could be dangerous. He'd done this journey a lot of times in the last weeks, sometimes feeling sore, once even shivering in cold as he'd stayed for over an hour. But without that, all he'd accomplish would be sitting around and wishing for the impossible. Luckily, he'd found out about this little backdoor. The elder sorcerer smiled as he remembered Veronica's surprised – and slightly angry – face and his own surprise, when he'd seen her in a completely regular meditation session after beating up Dave. Balthazar didn't know why it worked to begin with and convinced himself that he didn't need to know. All that counted was that it worked. He could visit her whenever there was time. They would talk, spend time especially close together or just sit beside each other in silence, enjoying each other's company.

Suddenly though, she pressed away from him, a sorrowful look in her eyes and a playful frown in his.

"I think it's time to go... they're looking for me."  
"Who is, beloved?"  
"The other angels.. I told you of them, didn't I, my dear?"

Of course he remembered it. After he'd left a couple of times before, so Veronica had told, all heaven had started to supervise her. She rarely had the freedom of privacy anymore, which made living in heaven kinda awkward for her, but she had hurried to reassure him she was fine back then. But on a closer view, she just looked stressed out. Reasonable, as they didn't even leave her alone when she was with Merlin at the castle. Veronica had skipped that part on purpose, so her husband wouldn't worry too much though. Suddenly, she turned her beautiful head in the direction of a sound Balthazar couldn't hear, which she explained as some kind of extremely high-pitched bird song, the language of angels. They called for her and if she didn't want to raise suspicion, she'd have to go. Now.

A last, longing gaze into his storm blue eyes and a loving kiss was all he got from her before she spread her wings and flew away graceful like a swan. As for him, all he could do – beside standing in the mist - was to return to his body ASAP.

The sorcerer woke with a start.

He found himself still sitting in the turnaround, feeling stiff and sore from not moving for all that time, silence all around him, as well as the dim shimmer coming from the headlights above. He slowly stood, stretched, crackling all joints and bones back into their natural positions before noticing something was missing.

"Dave?", he called to no avail. As memory returned to him, he bit back a curse. Of course, they'd parted in a senseless fight. Nothing he could change right now though. A quick look to the clock told him it was too late right now to be even considering options at hand. Dave would probably be asleep right now anyway. Thinking about it, Balthazar found the idea quite appealing, too. Astral travelling was quite demanding and actually he felt ready to drop. The elder walked over to the table with the closed Encantus on top of it, moved the chair a bit and sat down, half leaning over the table and dozed off in seconds.

There he was found by the apprentice the next day.

Dave stood beside his master, not quite sure what to make of the softly snoring man, waking him or not was quite a hard decision to make. If he did, who knew how a sleep-drunk half-crazed sorcerer would react. Thinking back, he'd never found him like that. It had always been Dave who came late and stuff. It was an absolute new thing. Nonetheless, he'd get one hell of a verbal beating if he tried to skip training by letting his master oversleep, so the apprentice went for option a;

His hand hadn't quite reached the shoulder of his older friend, as that one mumbled something of the likes _I'm awake.. Dave.. _before sitting up slowly, half turning his head to Dave, who started, ready to defend against whatever thing would be thrown at him. But nothing happened. Instead, Balthazar just gave it a surpressed yawn and stretched his long limbs, before turning his attention to Dave fully. Neither said a word, the tension from yesterday still present. When Dave tried to say something though, opening his mouth to do so, he was cut off by the master immediately.

"No need to appologize. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

Without having achieved anything the youth closed his mouth again, looking at the elder surprised. As he was about to ask what was wrong and how it came Balthazar was docile for a change, he wished he hadn't even thought it. That innocent smile he saw on the other's face was scary... It always preluded something. Like a predator smiling when it gets close to it's prey while staying unnoticed.

"W-what?", the youth ventured to ask, still wary.

"Oh, nothing Dave. Relax."

With that, the elder raised from the chair and strolled to the Merlin's circle, which replied with the usual flames. Dave followed the lion into it's den.

"Let's fresh up what you know of Plasma bolts. Tell me what as plasma bolt is and how it is made.", Balthazar said, circling around Dave, who'd taken his place in the elemental sphere once again, it's yellow flames flaring brightly, as always without heating the air up.  
"Erm... concentrated energy emitted by the nervous system?"  
"Yes. Go on."  
"And our rings are the conductor to transmit them into the physical world"  
An approving nod. "What makes them dangerous?"  
"Electrical energy can rob a sorcerer of his powers?"  
"Yes and no, Dave. It's different for the power the body emits. You couldn't use it to permanently prevent Horvath from casting magic for example. But your tesla coils did. It's a completely different voltage. Plasma bolts are only dangerous if used against objects or to push your opponent from you. In other words.."

At that, the master formed a sphere, causing Dave to go into defense mode right away, having a shield set up even before thinking, which went mostly unnoticed – or ignored – by the elder, who just continued to walk around Dave, playing with the sizzling ball.

".. you can't depend too much on them. Can you follow?"  
"S-sure."

"There _are_ ways of using them in a dangerous way though. Such as you did by attacking that

transformer in Battery Park. Or by raising the voltage of your bolts like Morgana did."

Dave thought back to that night and nodded absentminded. Images from back then flared back up and threatened to overwhelm him. Of course his master noticed and used that moment to pull the boy back to reality. The sphere he'd formed was fired at the youth and it was bound to go right through the shield and give the apprentice a push in reality's direction.

But as it flew, Balthazar noticed something was off. When he found what it was, it was too late to react. The bolt met with the still active shield, reinforced by strong feelings and thoughts, and was reflected to shoot just by inches by the master, pass him in a swoosh and explode at the next wall, the shock wave throwing over the table beside the wall and even the chair with his coat and hat on top. Despite being missed, the master suddenly coughed – hard at that -, as he felt his heart literally stop for nearly two seconds. As he went to his knees, Dave watched wide-eyed as the master continued to cough his insides out, one hand pressed to the left chest, the other on the ground.

"Are you okay?", the youth asked, concerned and slightly panicked about the strange reaction, got a wordless but still coughing nod from the elder, before his eyes wandered to where the reflected plasma bolt had hit. The only thing he noticed was the elder's coat that now laid on the floor instead on the now unusable chair. Beside it the hat .. and.. was that a pocket watch? Dave raised an eyebrow at that but dismissed it as weird-old-man-thing, before turning back to the elder who had made it to his legs again, seemingly recovered from the strange incident.

"Excellent. Your shield has improved I see."

Dave should've swallowed the compliment and shine with pride. Instead, he concentrated on the raspy sound of his friend's voice and the abnormal wheezing of that one's breath. Furrowed brows shot glances of concern in the masters direction, unnerving said one to the point of him frowning too.  
".. Dave. Are you even listening?", he asked, catching the youth's eyes once again. A hasty nod came from the apprentice, a sigh from his master, as latter dismissed the whole situation and went on.

"Good. Now that we've cleared what plasma bolts are, let's see how yours have improved", Balthazar said, and to his annoyance, every color left his student's face, as latter one hastily shook his head. Balthazar felt his right eyebrow twitch in irritation.

"Don't tell me you lost your speech now", he said, forcing back his temper, as he always did when Dave wasn't really helping. In this case, the non-verbal answers were enough to annoy him.  
"I.. I can't do that!", the apprentice finally meekily admitted.  
"Why not?"  
"I don't want to hurt you!"  
"You can't hurt me, Dave."  
"But .. just now.. You know..!"  
"No, Dave. I swallowed air, nothing else."

A hard, audible gulp went down the youth's throat, before he began to conjure the energy needed to form the ball. Much to his surprise and annoyance though, the first one he managed fizzled away. Same happened with every following one, until Balthazar decided to step in.

"You're not concentrating, Dave."  
"Yes I am!"  
"Have you cleared your mind?"  
"Yeah!"  
"I suppose not. Again!"

And Dave did. Finally, he successfully conjured an electrical sphere to the point of being actually worthy of the name plasma bolt, but when he was supposed to send it on it's way, he hesitated, looking up at his master, who cocked an eyebrow at it, having already prepared a defense against the element – an anti-magnetic field -, waiting for the attack to come.

"Erm, Dave. Please", he sardonically snorted, unable not to catch the shiver that went through his apprentice's figure. What was wrong with the young one today? He wasn't really that shocked about earlier, was he? Still nothing happened, beside the trembling becoming worse to the point that the plasma ball died in the youth's hands and vanished, leaving Dave standing there with slumped shoulders and head hanging in defeat. He couldn't do it, and they both knew it.

"Need a break?", the master asked with no detectable sarcasm this time. He meant it, what didn't mean he liked pausing the training for no other reason than his apprentice having a psychotic episode over nothing. The confirming nod was a little too enthusiastically for Balthazar's taste, but he stepped aside anyway, letting the beaten Dave pass. Looking after the youth, he found him walking over to the fallen coat and picking up the watch. Time to step in.

"Leave it, Dave."  
"What is that thing?"

"A watch, Dave. An old one at that."

"Looks pretty new to me.."

Now, that made Balthazar nervous and he had trouble concealing it. He closed the distance between himself and his apprentice, trying to take the thing out of his hands, but Dave just stepped aside, not willing to let this slide. His master usually wasn't that possessive of anything, save Veronica and his coat and rings. It meant something to him. Challenging he held the watch and the gaze.

"So? Why don't I see any traces on it if it's old?"  
"Because I take care of my things, Dave."  
"Like that oil lamp ten years ago?"  
"That one was special. And always dirty. Now give it to me!"

Was there some kind of desperation behind that old man's voice now? Dave didn't want to push his luck any longer and held the precious item out to the elder. Latter reached for it, having thought about using magic to gather the item but disposed of the idea since he had no clue what consequences an inconsiderate action could have, given the watch was kind of magic itself.

That thought had slowed his reactions by a fraction though, so he reached for it half a second too late, just when Dave slipped over an invisible _something_ on the floor, typical for the clumsy apprentice. In consequence to the laws of gravity, the watch fell. It landed hard on the stone ground and gave an earshattering ringing which forced Dave to close his eyes in pain from the loud sound, hissing slightly. As he opened them again, there was no master before him anymore.

Not standing at that. More like sprawled out on the floor, collapsed on the front. Instantly the youth was beside him, calling his name, shaking him by the shoulders. Immediately, guilt filled the young apprentice to the brink and he bit his lip. He should've listened.. But he hadn't thought that thing meant so much to his friend and master that he'd black out from the shock... There had to be more behind that.

As the elder suddenly gave a low moan and started to push himself up, Dave felt sweet relieve though, even if he was growled at when the elder was kneeing on all fours, panting from the exertion.

"I... told you.. to leave it..."

"Sorry man.. I didn't know it was that important."  
"For the next time you do."

"Be true with me.. what is with that watch? You act as if your life depended on it.."

The silence that followed was the only answer Dave got. Nervously laughing the apprentice asked on; "No, really." Still no answer, just a glare of the kind _Stop asking dumb questions_ which got the young Merlinean freaking out by now.

"No way.. You're not serious, are you?"

"I am."

"What? How can it..?"  
"I don't know, Dave." The hell he didn't, but Dave didn't need to know what had happened in the afterlife. Not yet at least. "I only know I had it when we met back then."

"That doesn't make sense.."

"I know. Let's settle with you keeping your hands off it, alright?"  
"Yeah, sure, whatever.."  
"Make sure you keep this to yourself."  
"No need to tell me... if Horvath finds out.."

Dave helped the older Merlinean stand and led him over to the stairs, letting him rest there, before he ran back to get the watch, which, before he even got close, levitated past him to land in it's owner's hands. Whatever the potential consequences, for all Balthazar knew he wouldn't let this particular apprentice get close to this particular watch ever again. Not that he didn't trust Dave after the little incident, but what he trusted was the fatal luck the youth had when it came to fall flat. And what that meant he knew from before now.

"No touch, no talk, no eye-contact, Dave", the elder said with a grin, making Dave once again frown. He felt reminded of someone but couldn't put a finger on it, so he shoved the ridiculous thought aside, nodded confused as he watched how the elder slung the chronometer around his neck, shoving the pendant under the vest to keep it save.

"So. Shall we resume?"  
"But.. Becky is coming soon and I need to get ready.."  
"Oh. Really."  
"Yes."  
"Still a bad liar, Dave."  
"Wha-..?"  
"But you're excused."  
"Err... alright... erm.. thanks I guess?"  
"Go before I change my mind, Dave."

The youth nodded and ran for the locker room. After a few minutes of constant shower sounds, some hectical monologues and the following hasty steps up the stairs silence settled on the turnaround again. Balthazar just shook his head, waited a short while before he took out h wisatch and started looking at it thoughtfully as memories washed over him.

"Are you sure we should be doing this, my love?"

"No, beloved, we shouldn't. But I can't let the world perish because the one who's supposed to protect it can't get his lazy ass up out of a depression.."

Veronica sighed defeated. Her husband could be so stubborn at times. And now, he made her stalk the clocktower, waiting for an opening to get inside, grab a specific clock and get out before anybody noticed, especially the guards on the entrance. Newcomers to heaven were lead inside to be introduced to afterlife and came back out with wings – or without – relieved looks on their faces. As each of the sorcerers had been through it as well, they knew what was inside;

Countless clocks and watches, one for each creature on the world. Some running, some not, a few even defect. Two of them were theirs and they were about to grab them and get out of here. At least for Balthazar's part, as Veronica wasn't as convinced it would work like that. But seeing that she couldn't let the person she held dear the most down, she'd gone with him, against Merlin's will – or more precisely; without his knowledge.

Using magic to get past the guards wasn't an option. Angels were immune to it as far as Veronica knew and so she'd recommended strongly against trying. There was no opening on the roof, so flying up wouldn't help. The only way inside was through this well guarded entrance. The guard angels checked each and everyone who entered, making sure nobody got inside twice. Even though, some souls got past without being checked, as it was quite an onslaught these days. The world got more brutal each day, natural disasters became more frequent, diseases, murderers, there was a lot that could kill one these days. But it might just be their chance to get in. Balthazar turned to Veronica, who carried a wary look on her fair face.

"Transformation, Veronica. I think we can fool them."  
"If we get found, they will send us straight to hell, my love.."  
"Yes. Let's make sure they don't find out."

With that, he went to all fours, breathed deep and got silent, before his appearance changed to that of a german shepherd, which now smiled at Veronica; a dog-like smile with panting tongue. He did a good job as dog and, beside being all black and still having those storm blue eyes, nothing reminded of his human form. She joined him, becoming a graceful siamese cat, purring around him and following to the bridge that led over a small canyon, right to the tower. Around them, there were several other dogs and cats, some pretty sad looking – probably missing their humans or mates – while others shook with excitement and jumped around, sometimes colliding with either Veronica or Balthazar to get growled or hissed away.

As luck wanted it, they got past the guards without being looked at and finally stood in the midst of a giantic hall. Veronica hid behind her husband, as a beautiful whippet she-dog came into their direction, friendly smiling. "Welcome to the great hall of judgement!", she said with an extremely sweet smile and motioned the two to follow. The whippet went ahead, only stopping to look back to the black shepherd and the shy siamese, sometimes wagging her tail in anticipation. It was obvious the dog loved her job. She led them through more halls, encouraging to follow even if it was a little scary, and finally stopped at a desk, where she jumped on the accompaning chair and opened a huge book, that would easily rival any Encantus.

"The names, please", she again said, her voice full of compassion for those two poor souls who probably had died in a horrible way, given they were still this young and already dead!

"Bentley and my mate, Veron...a", Balthazar lame said, glad for the save before he'd nearly said his beloved true name and blown the cover!

But the whippet didn't seem to mind and started browsing the large book, being taken in completely by the task, mumbling from time to time "Sorry, I'm looking for you two.. Must be a mistake.." or something, while Veronica turned to Balthazar, whispering "My love, I'll keep her busy. You go and look for your life!", she said, blinking at her beloved and already casting a spell. When it was finished, a perfect replica of Balthazar in his dog form sat down and wagged his tail at the whippet. The she-dog didn't even notice the black shepherd vanishing from her sight and sneaking past her.

The next thing Veronica heard a while later was the shouting of guard angels, coming closer from where her beloved had run to, as latter returned, not less than two clocks in his hands, but still having the nerves to stop briefly, so Veronica could climb up. As she sat on his shoulders – a strange constallation – he dashed on, seeing the guards passing the confused whimpering whippet as he threw a short look back.

"My love..", the cat on his shoulders asked. "What is the second one?"

For a moment Balthazar contemplated just dropping the topic, but seeing he was doing this for her, he felt the need to tell her. "It's yours, beloved." Her surprised gasp left a warm feeling. They fled on, passing through the incoming crouds on the bridge, even passing the stupored guards there, just to followed by them too the next second.

Balthazar took out one of the clocks, being an old looking pocket watch, and looked at it while running in the general direction of a pretty foggy area which he knew was the entrance to their personal heaven. Not even the guards could enter without permission, it would be their sanctuary, litterally!

The sorcerers got even closer to the area, when a whipping sound went through the air, then Veronica suddenly felt herself falling to the ground – landing softly on four paws – and found her husband kneeling, an arrow stuck in his right leg. Looking back both saw the guard angels run at them, one holding a golden shimmering bow, obviously having fired the missile, now following his mates. There was no time left.

"Veronica... take this.. and run.", Balthazar moaned, very much to his annoyance, as the arrow was more painful than he'd ever imagined an essentially not existing object to be capable of, as he gave his love the watches, the old pocket watch as well as Veronica's – a miniature cookoo-clock -, earning a scared look from her, as she took her original form to hold the goods.

"I can't leave you! They will banish you, my dear!"

"Just go..! I trust you figure it out.."

The guards came even closer, forcing a decision from her.

"Veronica, GO!", the sorcerer shouted, firing a series of fireballs at the guards, distracting them for a moment. There she nodded, obviously not happy with leaving the elder laying there, but then turned and ran into the mist. The last she heard was a colorful choice of heavenly curses by the guards and, testing her determination, the bit-back cry of her husband, as she passed the portal to Merlin's castle.

There Balthazar's memory ended. He blinked a few times, as reality started to reclaim him. Veronica had done it after all, probably, as he'd vanished from the guards in fact just in time before their holy spears could pierce him. He'd awoken laying on that plaza after that and found Dave not much later.

What now? Judged by the time that had come and gone by now, Veronica hadn't found a way to repair her clock. His own had needed some rewinding, but what had been wrong with hers, he only could guess. Maybe Merlin refrained from helping her for her own sake, knowing the old man. That had to be it. Besides, they were looking for her, right? And if she didn't come back to life, she was save at least.

The watch vanished under his vest once again, where it would be until he had a better idea where to store it. Then it hit him. Store! If there was a save spot in this god forsaken world it was the Arcana Cabana.. All he'd need to do was renew the wards and find a nice spot to hide it inside. There would be no daily training endangering the chronometer, enemies couldn't possibly use it against him either. The plan was perfect. Only one thing left to do.

Getting there.

Becky had come over as soon as Dave had called her. He'd sounded distressed, and as she deemed herself a good girlfriend she couldn't leave him alone, right? Something was off though. Usually he should be coming to her, not the other way around... right? The girl shoved aside the thoughts. Now wasn't the time to ponder over small stuff like social rules.

She sat in his living room, beside her boyfriend, stroking his back in a comforting way. He hadn't told her what was bothering him and she didn't ask. But this silence slowly became unnerving. Finally snapping, she began.

"Listen Dave, whatever is troubling you.. If you don't tell me, I can't help you!"

It wasn't meant as blame. She'd said it as compassionate as she could. Kept her voice even and kept the eye contact – from the side. Dave paled anyway and looked at her shocked. What was wrong with him to be that sensitive today? The blonde resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He still didn't say a thing and just stared at her as if she'd threatened to kill Tank. Actually.. with a little modification.. Again, she shoved aside the thought. If she got angry now, nothing would change. So, instead, she sighed;

"Dave. You called me to come over to talk. If you don't want to talk, I'll go."

He gulped hard and opened his mouth, a good sign! He took a breath.. then shut up again, head hanging. Becky finally failed to repress a groan, gripped both his shoulders and shook him slightly.

"SPEAK TO ME!", she half shouted, feeling tears well up behind her eyes from anger. And a little worry. More than a little probably. When he replied, she just stared back at her boyfriend, perplexed at the sudden reaction.

"I... nearly killed him...", he said, low enough for Becky to miss half of the words, so she asked:

"What?"

"He told me to stay away from it and I didn't listen.. I could've killed him!", he repeated, louder this time and more desperate, but Becky still didn't understand a word, only her eyes switched from angry to even more worried, as she slid back on the couch, back to stroke his back.

"You didn't do it on purpose!"  
"How can you know that? I picked up his watch on purpose.. "  
"You'd never purposefully harm anybody.."  
"Save one"  
"No, I don't count that.. thing you got rid of."

"I'm sure he hates me now..."  
"Come on, Dave.. He won't hate you for that.. Wait, who are we talking about?"  
"My.. uncle. Uncle Balthazar!"  
"Oh. He.", was all she said, still remembering that day at the lab and their brief encounter. She deemed him as nice, a bit crazy maybe, but couldn't warm up to him somehow. Besides, Dave had developed an unhealthy obsession with the man, spending a big deal more time in the underground than with her. Somewhere down deep inside her heart she was a little jealous at that Balthazar character and hated herself for it. Again, she looked at her boyfriend in a fruitless attempt to get rid of her negative thoughts. This sad look on his face.. like an abandoned puppy at best. Knowing him, he blamed himself for whatever happened – something with a watch and his uncle as far as she had understood from the bits of information he'd given out – and it ate at him.

Dave wasn't a crybaby per-se, at least if she was asked, but right now, all he needed was support, not a discussion. As she took him into her arms in a consoling gesture, the last she heard from him were silent sobs and the occassionally trembling of his shoulders.

When his phone rang, it's owner took it and just stared on the display. As he read the appearing name, he gave it a long stretched sigh before accepting the call. It was Dave. Or, at least his phone as Balthazar found out in that very second, because it was Rebecca who shouted through the phone and made his ear ring in protest against the deafening loudness.

"Whatever you do to Dave must stop!", she called and the sorcerer contemplated if maybe she didn't hear clearly and thought she'd have to compensate for a bad line or something. In any case, he replied calm and collected.

"First; I don't _do_ anything to him as you put it. I'm his master and he's learning sorcery from me. This includes physical labor as well, Rebecca", he said as a matter of fact, but the following, seconds long pause irritated him a little as he could picture the young woman frown on the other end of the line.

"... You are what?", was, what she asked then.  
"I think you heard me clear and.."  
"You are his uncle, aren't you?"  
"_Master_."

She probably threw a questioning glare at the shrinking David right now, which made the boy's master smirk, knowing he couldn't be seen through the phone and unable to restrain his amusement.

"So.. what does his mentor do to him then?"  
"Master."

"Whatever! So what..?"  
"Nothing. If you're so worried, you might want to come visit."  
"Sure. When?"  
"Tell Dave he's supposed to show up here tomorrow morning."

"I will. Bye!"

The soft crack of the hearer told Balthazar the inevitable; Becky had hung up on him. Still he silently smiled, as he turned back to the chores he'd been fulfilling before that unnerving sound had emitted from his nokia. Dusting the shelves and removing that ugly pink color from the walls didn't do itself. Not even in a shop owned by a sorcerer. At least not if he wanted to prevent a distaster of the kind _mops-all-around-the-place ... _Despite having controlled the situation back then, he knew that particular spell was dangerous on and in itself, as animating that many objects was difficult to control. And Dave had really overdone it back then, the master reminiced. It all seemed so far away now. So long ago... Technically all was back to ground zero now. He had his store back, was more or less single again - he thought latter sourly and praying Veronica may forgive him for even thinking this – and things finally had returned to normal.. -ish.

He looked up, finding what he'd done while overthinking the situation. Everything was clean by now. Show cases everywhere, empty still. The dust of years without proper care had leaked through the mail slot by his order. The master knew, he'd have to gather some goods to sell otherwise his efforts would've been for vain. He checked that on his mental list as he went up the stairs, where the living quarters where located. Everything in check here too. The kitchen invited him to prepare tasty meals. The bedroom asked for someone to take a nice long nap on the fluffy double-bed; which Balthazar didn't even know why he'd bought the large version of it. The bath was clean and pleasant.

In the living room he sat on the couch, staring blankly at the huge plasma screen, hanging on the wall across the room. To the right, a large window gave sight to New York's rooftop landscape and a by now starry sky. It felt good to have a place to live again. But on the other hand, he felt incredibly lonely right now. With that, he grabbed the nearly wool sheet and rolled together below it.


End file.
